Three Nights at the Haystack
by Saintsavory
Summary: Alex, Piper, Christmas at a rural inn.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: I've watched entirely too many Hallmark Christmas movies this fall, and this story is a product of my obsession. I hope you'll find that it's not nearly as cheesy as most of the Hallmark movies, but that it contains the same spirit. I have enjoyed writing this little piece more than any other story I've penned, and hope you enjoy reading it.

(Note that I switch from Piper to Alex's point of view throughout the story, so I hope it's not too confusing.)

* * *

When she was six-years-old, Piper Chapman wanted to be a teacher. (Ms. Chapman had a nice ring to it.) At ten, she wanted to hold the highest office in the land. (President Chapman sounded even better.) She realized at 14 that being a teacher would be lame, and becoming President of the United States was probably not going to happen, so she settled for becoming a doctor. (Dr. Chapman felt right.) However, at 20-years-old, Piper threw those occupational dreams aside and decided that she wanted to write for a living. She never thought she'd be a novelist or a journalist. To be honest, she didn't know exactly _what_ she wanted to write, but she discovered that she had a special talent that could lead her to a lucrative career.

After interning at an advertising agency, Piper discovered that copy writing was what she wanted to pursue. A year later, she was hired by that same firm in Hartford as a junior copy writer, a job she quickly fell in love with and had high hopes for a promotion. Just as Piper was making strides in her second year at the ad agency, she received a phone call that changed the trajectory of her life.

* * *

"This should've been done a week ago." An exasperated Celeste Chapman put one hand on her hip, the other on her forehead. "A little higher on the right."

Piper ignored her grandmother's first statement and contained an eye roll, pulling a string of garland as high as she could around a white beam before securing it with a piece of twine. "That's as high as it'll go."

"Perfect." Celeste smiled before being overtaken by a deep cough.

Piper climbed off the step stool and handed her grandma a glass of water. "It's time to take your pills."

She gulped the water, and then wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "I'll take them after I supervise you with that next strand of garland."

"Supervise? Is that what you call telling me exactly where every Christmas decoration should go?" Piper grinned.

"As a matter of fact, it is."

Save for a snowman figurine and a bowl full of candy canes, Piper had never decorated for Christmas. Her college dorm room had been too cramped, and over the past couple of years, she simply didn't have time to buy a Christmas tree and all of the trimmings. Besides, for as long as she could remember, Piper spent every Christmas at The Haystack Inn, a property that had been owned and operated by three generations of Chapmans since the early 1900s.

"I'm exhausted grandma, and if _I'm_ this tired, I know you must be, too." Piper tossed a six-foot strand of garland onto an armchair. "I promise I'll wake up early tomorrow to finish decorating."

"Are you suggesting that we go to sleep now?" She popped three pills into her mouth, followed by a swig of water.

"I have to finish reviewing the books tonight," the blonde sighed. "If those aren't in order by the time the representative from the Huxley Collection arrives, you can kiss the deal goodbye."

"I thought that was your goal anyway." Celeste stood, quickly balancing herself against the bannister. Piper was at her side in an instant, cradling her grandmother's elbow until she was stable.

"I don't want you to sell this place, but I'm not stupid enough to sabotage it." She helped her grandmother down the hallway until they reached the first bedroom on the right.

Since Celeste's health had declined, she'd decided to move into the inn permanently so that she could tend to the guests and the upkeep of the inn without too much hassle. The low occupancy over the past year allowed both her and Piper to have their choice of rooms.

"It's not that I want to sell the inn, dear." Celeste climbed into bed with her granddaughter's help. "But you and your entire family have made it clear that none of you are willing to take it over. What else am I supposed to do?"

Piper pulled a quilt off the back of a rocking chair and tucked her grandmother in. "You're doing what you have to do; I know." She bent down and placed a kiss on her grandma's cheek. "Want me to turn off the lamp?"

"No." She shook her head and reached for a novel on the bedside table. "I'm going to read for a while. It's the new Dan Brown thriller."

"Ok. Good night." Piper gave her an affectionate smile before closing the door.

She padded down the hallway, turning the Bing Crosby record lower along the way and exhaling a long, worn-out breath. She pulled the curtains back and peeked outside, noticing the twinkle lights on the front porch and in the bushes, and she couldn't help but smile. She hadn't had time to put the lights up that morning, and she was grateful that one of the village's residents, Larry Bloom, had strung them before a snow storm would arrive later that night.

She picked up her phone, texting Larry her thanks as she made her way into the dining room, which served as her makeshift office. Piper was still upset that her father didn't think saving The Haystack Inn was important enough to take a couple of weeks off of work, which made it entirely up to her to give it a shot. She'd called her older brother to see if he'd be willing to split the time they'd need to be in Vermont to get things in order, but Danny was living his dream life in Australia, and like his father, wasn't willing to put in any effort to save the family's inn. That would be the first Christmas the family wouldn't spend at the inn.

Piper's phone buzzed, and she read a text from Larry. _Want some company tonight_?

Larry was a nice guy—she'd known him practically her whole life and had made out with him two Christmases in a row when she was in high school. Piper knew he had a crush on her, but she'd never considered a relationship with him because he had no desire to leave Essex. She never understood why anyone would want to live in a town with less than 2,000 people, so each time she left Essex, she had no problem leaving Larry, too.

 _I have to wrap my head around these numbers tonight, but thank you anyway,_ she typed.

 _Let me know if you get hungry—I made Italian wedding soup. Well, my mom did_.

 _Thanks, Larry. Good night_.

Piper cracked her neck and dove into three sets of ledgers that were all hand-written by her grandmother. Nothing was computerized, making it that much more difficult for Piper to understand the details of the inn's financials. All she needed was to present an accurate account of how the inn had fared over the past five years to the representative from the Huxley Collection, and Piper was sure they'd make an offer on the property.

Her grandmother was right: Piper didn't want to see the inn turned over to some corporation that cared more about profit than people, and she'd have a hard time personally trying to sell the property to _anyone_ , let alone a hotel chain. For a split second, Piper even considered taking over the inn herself, but she had no idea how to run a business, and she doubted that her lackluster hospitality would serve the public well. Besides, what she'd witness the weeks leading up to Christmas was enough to make her run back to the big city as fast as she could.

The holiday season in Essex was like a Hallmark movie—every homeowner and business got into the Christmas spirit and decorated both the interior and exterior of their properties. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, there were four official contests: Best Home Decorations, Best Holiday Cookies, Best Christmas Carolers and Fastest Sledder. The Haystack Inn sponsored the holiday cookie decorating contest and was a practice site for 'Carol & the Carolers,' a group of 60-something-year-old women who'd sang together as far back as high school. Additionally, for the past 20 years, her grandmother had hosted community breakfasts every Sunday morning so that the town leaders could discuss how the festivities would run that year. Piper had no idea how much time and energy her grandmother had expended over the course of her career, but she was quickly realizing that independently owning an inn came with more than just welcoming guests.

By midnight, Piper had the clearest picture she could of the inn's financials, and she needed to get some rest before the next day, which she knew would be long and tedious. There were a few e-mails she needed to respond to for work before calling it a night, so she made a cup of tea before cracking open her laptop and typing as fast as she could. Piper was grateful that her employer had allowed her to work from home for two weeks, but anything over that, she'd have to claim as vacation time.

Piper thought she was dreaming when a dark haired woman tapped her shoulder. "What the hell? Who are you?" She sat up and brushed her disheveled hair out of her face, feeling every muscle in her body ache as she straightened her back.

"I'm Alex Vause from the Huxley Collection," the tall, bespectacled woman said with a perturbed expression. "Are you Celeste Chapman?"

"No." Piper blinked several times before squinting at the grandfather clock in the hallway. "Is it nine o'clock _in the morning_?"

Alex looked at her watch. "Eight fifty-five. I'm early."

"Fuck," Piper mumbled under her breath as she realized that she'd fallen asleep at the dining room table, a puddle of drool crusting on a blue folder to her right. "Well then, since you're early, I'm going to get dressed and meet you back out here in ten minutes."

Alex creased her forehead. "I'm sorry, who are you?"

"Oh, I'm Piper Chapman." She shook Alex's hand and looked her in the eye—the woman had _gorgeous_ eyes. "Celeste's granddaughter."

"Pleasure to meet you." One side of her mouth turned upwards. "Oh, and you have _five_ minutes, not ten."

"Right." Piper scurried down the hallway, peeking into her grandma's room to see that she'd forgotten to turn off her reading lamp. "Grandma?" She stepped inside as Celeste stirred. "Grandma, Alex Vause from the Huxley Collection is here."

"He's here?" Celeste sat up abruptly. "What time is it?"

" _He's_ a _she_ , and it's almost nine." Piper caught her reflection in the mirror, noticing that her hair had almost completely fallen out of her ponytail, and the other half of the drool that she'd seen on the folder was caked on her cheek. "I have to wash my face and change my clothes. Take your time getting up, and I'll take care of Alex."

"Wait, Alex isn't a man?" Celeste asked.

"Most definitely not." Piper grinned before shutting the door and walking hurriedly to her room.

* * *

Alex had never been fond of the holidays—they were a constant reminder of how poor she'd been growing up. She and her mom would get a screaming deal on a scrawny tree on Christmas Eve when the temporary transplants from upstate New York would pack up their flocking and netting gear and leave town. The only thing Alex _had_ enjoyed was helping her mom make homemade ornaments out of popsicle sticks and leftover fabric; however, once she turned 13, Alex grew out of that particular bonding experience and lost all holiday cheer.

Despite never really getting into the Christmas spirit, Adult Alex appreciated the holidays if only for the parties. The older she got, the more sophisticated the parties became, and that year, she planned on hosting a party of her own. The last place she wanted to be in late December was in Bumfuck, Vermont, trying to strike a deal on The Haystack Inn.

Her job with the Huxley Collection sent her up and down the Eastern seaboard, often to small towns, to acquire motels, hotels and inns that were on the verge of bankruptcy. She hadn't visited any of those properties so close to Christmas, and she'd be lying if she said that The Haystack Inn wasn't at least _charming_ at that time of year.

Decorations aside, the inn had good bones—heart-of-pine floors, tall, white beams, a huge river rock fireplace and antique furniture strewn about the lobby. Her research informed her that there were eight rooms in the main house and two carriage houses, each with four rooms. There was one cottage that rented as a singular unit with two bedrooms, a fireplace and a Jacuzzi tub in the master suite.

She watched the pendulum in the grandfather clock sway from left to right and touched the angel ornament hanging from the gold key in the clock's door, when Piper breezed in wearing jeans, a pink sweater and a Whalers ball cap.

"Sorry about that."

There was something about the blonde that Alex found both adorable and irritating at the same time. "Is Celeste joining us?"

"She'll be here soon." Piper shoved one sleeve past her elbow. "Can I get you a cup of coffee or hot chocolate?"

"Coffee would be nice." She followed the blonde into the kitchen. "This place isn't exactly the easiest to get to."

Piper reached for the French roast, and the hem of her sweater inched up, giving Alex a quick glimpse of skin. She adjusted her black frames, but didn't avert her eyes.

"That's part of what makes the inn so appealing." The blonde poured the coffee grounds into a filter.

"So it seems." Alex took a step towards her. "Want me to fill the pot with water?"

"Yeah, thanks."

The women met eyes for the second time, and Alex could see her bright blue irises much better this time.

"Do you live here with your grandmother?" She turned on the faucet.

"No," Piper quickly replied, as if that was the most outlandish thing she'd ever heard. "I'm only helping out for a couple of weeks. The holidays are hectic around here."

"Celeste seems eager to sell, and we don't need this place to be in tip-top shape in order to make an offer." She handed the full pot of water to the blonde. "So if you're trying to do last minute upgrades, it's not necessary."

Piper turned the coffee maker on. "It's not that…" she hesitated.

"It's not what?" Alex pulled out a stool and sat across from the blonde.

"I'm not here to make this place easier to sell." She put both hands on the edge of the counter and leaned forward. "I'm getting my grandmother's financial records in order so that I'll know if you're trying to screw her over."

Alex pulled a face. "Ok, then."

"I'm the only person in my family who doesn't want to see this place turn corporate." She pushed off the granite, leaning against the counter behind her.

"Do you know anything about the Huxley Collection?" she asked, admiring the way Piper filled out her jeans.

She shrugged. "What's there to know?"

"Although we're a publicly traded company, our mission is to keep the properties we purchase almost exactly as they are." She raised her eyeglasses to the top of her head. "We make necessary improvements, but it's not like we're the Hiltons coming in to make every room look identical."

"What about the people who work at these properties?" Piper questioned, reaching into another cupboard to get two coffee mugs. "Do you keep them on the payroll?"

"Oftentimes, yes." She looked at Piper's left ring finger to find it empty. "If they're doing a good job."

She grabbed the creamer out of the refrigerator, and Alex got a nice view of Piper's backside. "How would you know if they're doing a good job if you just swoop in for a couple of days to check things out?"

"I don't just 'swoop in.' We send mystery guests to each property at least twice, plus we take the owner's opinions of her employees into account before making any hiring or firing decisions."

"I see." Piper bent down and seemed satisfied that the coffee maker had produced enough to pour two cups.

"We're not the big, bad corporate wolf that you're making us out to be, Piper." She stood and joined the blonde next to the coffee maker. "I hope you'll see that by the end of my stay."

"Me, too." Piper met her eyes once again before pouring their coffee.

"Good morning. I'm terribly sorry for being late." Celeste ambled into the kitchen. "That is not usually the case."

"I'm in good hands," Alex replied, eyes still attached to the blonde. She shifted her attention to the older woman. "You must be Mrs. Chapman."

"Please, call me Celeste." She shook her hand. "I'm glad Piper has treated you well so far." Celeste turned to her granddaughter. "Did you offer Alex some scones?"

The blonde poured creamer into her mug. "I haven't had a chance to make them this morning."

"I'll whip up a batch while Piper takes you on a tour." Celeste pulled out a glass jar filled with what appeared to be flour. "Is that alright with you?"

"Sure." Alex sipped her coffee, eyes back on Piper. "Maybe you could show me to my room first."

"Oh, right." The blonde grabbed her mug and walked back into the lobby. "Where are your bags?"

"On the porch." She opened the front door and wheeled in one bag, strapping a leather satchel across her chest. "So, the property was built in 1905?"

"Yes, by my great, great grandfather. He initially built it for loggers and their families, and then when skiing took off in the area, the Haystack became a place where people would stay to escape the crowds of Stowe, but they still had easy access to the mountain." Piper walked upstairs, and Alex followed closely behind. "Sorry, we don't have an elevator. Can I help with your bag?"

"I'm ok." She smiled.

"Each room has a theme," Piper began, walking past the Peppermint Room. "You'll be in the Angel Suite."

"That's a bit ironic," she let out a low laugh.

"Ironic?" Piper caught her eye, and for the briefest moment, the brunette wondered if they were thinking the same thing.

"Nothing…Thank you," Alex finished. "I'll drop my bags inside and be out in a minute."

"Ok." Piper folded her arms, and Alex wondered if she was perturbed that she hadn't invited her in.

The room was wallpapered in a floral pattern circa 1985, but the furnishings were mid-century and held a sort of rustic charm. Alex looked to her left and saw a miniature Christmas tree strung with colorful lights. _My very own Christmas tree_. She placed her suitcase on a chair and then walked over to the bed, where there was a handmade quilt covering the surface. She fingered the blanket and took a big whiff of the room. It smelled like cinnamon sticks and pine cones. Alex was instantly transported to the one camping trip she and her mom went on around Thanksgiving when she was 12-years-old. She'd never forget that smell.

Piper tapped on the door. "You almost ready?"

"Yeah." She looked at herself in the mirror, ran her fingertips through her hair, and met Piper in the hallway. "I'm all yours."

A smile crossed the blonde's face as Alex took a step closer.

* * *

Piper couldn't help but notice the way Alex moved—she was all confidence and femininity, but there was something else about the dark haired woman that Piper couldn't quite put her finger on. It was far too early to know if she could trust Alex, which was why she'd wanted to understand as much about the inn as she could prior to Alex's arrival.

"Is anyone staying here right now?" Alex asked as they walked out of the main house.

"We have a couple from Toronto staying with us through Christmas Eve, and another guest checking in right after Christmas," she replied, turning towards the back of the property and zipping her coat. "You might want to bring a hat next time."

Alex tossed her hair over her shoulders, giving Piper a strong whiff of her shampoo or perfume. She smelled like sugar cookies.

The brunette smiled, pulling on her leather gloves. "I'll remember that next time."

There was something hypnotic about Alex's smile.

They skirted the edge of a pasture as Piper pointed to the first landmark. "That barn on the left is home to a pair of Percheron horses, Ebony and Ivory. They're teamed-up throughout the winter for horse-drawn sleigh rides. During the summer they take tourists around the Square."

"Does your family own them?"

"No, but we own the land." Piper tied a scarf around her neck. "It's cold this morning."

Alex shoved her hands into her coat pockets. "I should've brought my coffee."

"I'll take you to the Gingerbread Café after this, and you can get a cup there."

She smiled again. "I'd like that."

"This is the carriage house." Piper stuck a key in the door. "You're welcome to go in any of the rooms."

The brunette walked inside, and Piper watched her long legs glide along the hardwood floors. Alex's heels were totally inappropriate for the weather in Essex, a fact that Piper felt the need to point out. "Did you bring something other than heels?"

She looked at her feet. "I don't plan on going snowshoeing or anything."

"I'll take that as a no." Piper leaned against the doorframe, and Alex eyed her up and down.

For a moment, the blonde felt self-conscious, but she found herself surprisingly aroused by the other woman's stare. Piper pushed herself off the frame and walked back outside. "Take your time; I'll be out here."

The cold air smacked her in the face, and Piper took a few deep breaths. Alex was an attractive woman, _hot_ even, and the way she looked at Piper made her pulse quicken. The blonde had been attracted to women in the past and even dated one her senior year at Smith, but she didn't consider herself gay. She hadn't used the term _bisexual_ to describe herself out loud, but that was most definitely what she was.

"When was the last time the rooms were updated?" Alex asked as she stepped back outside, shutting the door behind her.

"You'll have to ask my grandmother." Piper walked a few steps ahead, careful to avoid looking too closely at the woman next to her for fear of blushing at her recently discovered attraction. "I'd assume the late 80s."

"Sounds about right." The brunette's heels clicked against the pavement.

"You're lucky." She could feel Alex's eyes on her but didn't turn around to confirm.

"Why's that?"

"Mr. Ellis must have cleared the snow on the walkways this morning." She headed to the next cottage and hopped up the three steps.

Alex followed her onto the porch. "I'm assuming he works for your grandmother?"

She nodded. "He's maintained the property for as long as I can remember." She slid a key in the door. "Those shoes wouldn't stand a chance if Mr. Ellis hadn't gotten here before you did."

"I'm detecting a slight obsession with my footwear." Alex smirked.

Although she tried to look away, Piper couldn't help but admire the brunette's half-smile. "I worry about the practicality of heels around here."

She took a step closer and replied in a husky voice, "I'll be fine."

Piper gulped and blinked heavily as she stared at the other woman's full lips.

"If you take me on some off road adventure, maybe I could borrow a pair of boots. It looks like we might wear the same size."

"I'm a nine, nine and a half." The blonde stepped aside and allowed Alex to enter the Sugar House.

"I'm a 10, but that should work." Alex scooted past her, brushing against her body in the tight doorway.

Piper wished they didn't both have on thick coats. She cleared her throat, eager to get on with the tour. "This is the Sugar House—people who rent this cottage have access to the whole place."

There was a full kitchen, and the living room had a soaring cathedral ceiling with exposed beams and views overlooking the barn and the old covered bridge.

"It's beautiful." Alex walked around the vast room, and then into both bedrooms. "You're severely undercharging for a place like this."

Piper folded her arms. "I'm not the one who sets the prices."

"We'll take care of that starting as soon as February 1." Alex smirked again, but it was more sinister than it was sexy, and the blonde didn't like it one bit.

She turned and headed back into the cold. "We'll see about that."

The women remained mostly silent as they toured the rest of the property, and Piper wondered if Alex's flirtations had been for show. After all, Alex was there on business, not to charm the inn owner's granddaughter.

"It's frozen over now, but this is the trout pond. When my grandfather was alive, he'd have fishing supplies in the Main House for guests, but he passed away ten years ago, and my grandma stopped providing that."

Alex approached the edge of the pond. "Is it thick enough to skate on right now?"

"Want to find out?" Piper asked with a smirk of her own.

Alex lifted her eyebrows and looked away, which was precisely the reaction Piper wanted out of the her. "I'm not an ice skater, so it doesn't really matter."

For a moment, Piper felt guilty about the way she was treating Alex, but she didn't want to be bamboozled by the business woman who clearly knew how to use her charisma to get what she wanted.

She pointed to the woods behind the pond. "There's a path back there to the Valley Trail, which spans across the Deerfield Valley. You can cross-country ski, snowshoe and hike for miles." The blonde looked at Alex's feet again. "It's also a shortcut to the café, but I'm assuming you don't want to ruin your Louboutins or get your feet wet with snow."

"You assumed correctly," Alex replied, gazing up at the tall trees. "We can skip the café. I'll just head back inside and talk business with your grandmother if that's alright with you."

Piper headed back in the direction of the main house. "Sure. I have work to do anyway."

"What do you do when you're not helping your grandmother at the inn?"

The blonde bent down to tie her shoe. "I'm a copy writer for an ad agency."

Alex seemed impressed. "In Connecticut, I assume?"

"How'd you know?" She stood and continued walking.

Alex jutted her chin out. "Whalers hat."

"Oh." Piper touched the brim of her hat, remembering that she'd thrown it on in her haste to return to Alex in the lobby earlier that morning. "I work in Hartford, but grew up in Fairfield."

They walked inside the back entrance, and Piper unzipped her coat and hung it on a hook. Alex followed suit.

"Where do you live?" the blonde asked, making her way to the kitchen.

"Manhattan."

Before Piper had a chance to comment on her appreciation for Manhattan, her grandmother greeted them. "Scones will be done in five minutes. How was your tour?"

"It was good." Alex picked up her coffee mug and took a big sip.

Piper figured it must've been cold by that point. "I'll get you a fresh cup."

As Celeste and Alex talked, Piper refreshed the brunette's coffee and remained in the kitchen to hang on every word. She chanced a few glances at Alex, whose hair might as well have been featured in an Aveda ad.

The women ate blueberry scones, and Alex had two more cups of coffee before Celeste had a coughing bout.

"Excuse me," Celeste put her hand on her chest as Piper came to her side.

"Why don't you rest for a while." She rubbed her grandma's back. "I'll keep Alex company."

"You and I can catch up later." Alex stood and looked uncertain about what to do with a frail, elderly woman.

"I'll be right back." Piper made eye contact with Alex before walking her grandmother out of the kitchen.

* * *

Alex put her hands in her back pockets, stretching her shoulders and closing her eyes. She was beginning to think that Celeste didn't _want_ to sell The Haystack Inn; rather, she _had_ to. She looked around the kitchen and spotted four medicine vials on the counter. She picked one up and didn't recognize the prescription, so she tried another.

Piper stood in the entryway to the kitchen, arms folded. "Find something interesting?"

Alex put the container back in its place. "Your grandmother is sick."

"That's none of your business." She grabbed all four vials and took them into the back room.

"You're right: it's not." Alex sat back down, swiveling her stool as she watched Piper buzz around the room.

"Don't think for a minute that you're going to use her illness to snag a better deal on this place." Piper put her hands on her hips, and even though she was trying to be stern, Alex found her adorable.

"I wouldn't do that." She raised her hands in the air. "Even though I'm here for business, Piper, I'm not an entirely unfeeling person."

The blonde stared at her for half a minute, and Alex wondered if Piper was trying to figure out her motives. Truth be told, Alex didn't have any ulterior motives—she _was_ there for business, but she wasn't going to try to screw the old woman over. She'd made hundreds of deals like this and had never been emotionally invested in the lives of the inn owners—she couldn't be; otherwise, she'd fall into a trap of feeling sorry for them as they often had to sell property that had been in the family for decades.

"You said you had some work to do." Alex stood, crumbling her napkin before throwing it into the trash can next to the kitchen island. "I should put in a couple of hours, too, so I'll just head to my room."

Piper clenched her jaw, and the brunette could tell she wanted to say something, but words didn't come out.

"I'll be down later." With that, Alex retreated upstairs.

She closed the door, shut her eyes and leaned her back against it. Alex knew herself well enough to know that there was the _potential_ to become captivated by Piper, so she vowed to keep things above board and focus on the reason she was there to begin with.

She changed into jeans and a lightweight sweater before searching her luggage for a different pair of shoes. She'd only brought the heels she'd worn on the plane and a pair of suede boots. She laughed at her insensible packing before shutting her suitcase and opening her laptop. If she wanted to walk around town comfortably, she'd have to borrow a pair of Piper's shoes. That seemed like too intimate of a request, so she decided that when she'd eventually stroll around town, she'd stay on the groomed sidewalks and be just fine.

Alex had returned a handful of e-mails and began typing her notes about The Haystack Inn when she heard a soft knock on the door. "Who is it?"

"It's Piper."

She opened the door with a quizzical expression on her face. "Did I leave something downstairs?"

Piper stood in the doorway, arms folded and a despondent look on her face. "Lung cancer."

It didn't take long for Alex to register what the other woman was referring to. Before Alex had time to react, Piper wrapped her arms around her back and buried her head in the crook of Alex's neck. For a moment, the brunette didn't know what to do—she had just promised herself that she'd keep things strictly business, yet there Piper was, literally pressing her body into Alex's in a very _un_ professional embrace.

"I'm sorry to hear that," she whispered, rubbing Piper's back in small circles. She heard the faintest whimper escape the blonde's mouth, and instinctively pulled her closer.

"This is…" Piper pulled back and rubbed tears from her eyes. "Sorry…I don't know what came over me."

"It's ok." Alex reached for her arm, the soft cashmere felt like silk on her fingertips.

"No, it's not." Once again, the blonde folded her arms protectively over her chest. "That wasn't why I came up here, and now I've made an ass of myself."

"You did _not_ make an ass of yourself." Alex had every intention of asking why Piper had gone to her room in the first place, but she thought better of it. "Would you like to come in?"

She didn't respond; just took three steps inside the spacious room. Piper looked fragile in the middle of the room, and Alex could easily picture the blonde in that same spot as a child. She moved her suitcase to the floor, giving Piper a place to sit.

Alex perched on the edge of the bed. "How long has she been sick?"

"I don't know." Piper looked embarrassed by her lack of knowledge. "My grandmother has always been a very private person, and she didn't tell us that she had cancer until a month ago." She sniffed. "She called my dad right before calling me, and he refused to help, so I had to step in."

"That's why you're here?" Alex handed her a tissue.

She wiped her nose and nodded. "She wouldn't have called unless things were really bad."

"I really am sorry to hear that." She put a hand on Piper's knee and watched the blonde follow her motion. "Have you spoken to her doctor?"

She nodded. "A couple of days ago. The prognosis isn't good."

Alex sucked in her lips and leaned back, unsure of how to proceed. She'd never had a conversation like this with anyone, let alone a stranger. Piper somehow felt familiar, though she knew she'd never laid eyes on the blonde in her life.

"I'm not going to screw your grandma over," she tried with raised brows.

Piper blinked back a fresh set of tears. "This isn't some emotional plea for you to pity me; I just don't want her to be _forced_ to sell the inn."

"I get that, but she kind of _has_ to, right?"

The blonde stood and looked down at Alex. "Maybe I can take it over."

Alex lowered her head. The last thing she needed was for Piper to blow this deal. "Do you really think you're qualified to give this place the attention it deserves?"

She shrugged. "I didn't think I had it in me, but now that I'm faced with losing it in a matter of days, maybe I do."

Alex stood and walked towards the door, hand reaching for the knob. "I suggest you think long and hard about that before you make a decision that could wreck the rest of your life."

"I hardly think taking over my family's successful business would _wreck_ my life." Piper stood in front of her, and Alex could smell the faintest scent of apple pie. She didn't have time to wonder if Piper had baked a pie in the last hour, or if it was perfume.

The brunette pursed her lips and glanced to the side, not believing how the conversation had turned. She returned her attention to the woman in front of her. " _Successful_? From what I gather, the inn hasn't been financially successful in well over a year."

"Maybe not from a financial standpoint, but my grandmother has influenced lives. In my book, _that_ is success."

"I barely know you, Piper, so I'm not going to argue." She opened the door and stepped aside. "I've got some work to do, so if you'll excuse me."

Piper lifted her chin and appeared to examine Alex's face. The brunette bit down hard on her back teeth, flexing her jaw. On one hand, she wanted to grab Piper's smug face and kiss the living hell out of her, but on the other, she wanted to slap her for potentially ruining the deal. Judging from Piper's expression, she might have had similar thoughts. Instead of either woman making a move that they'd surely regret, Piper walked out of the room and headed downstairs.


	2. Chapter 2

Forgot to give a shout out to my beta, Nicki. She always comes through for me!

* * *

Piper raced down the stairs and into her bedroom, slamming the door and covering her face with her hands. She was breathing heavily and her heart was thumping. _What the fuck had she done?_ She'd had no intention of telling Alex that her grandmother had cancer. It was obvious to anyone who spent more than 10 minutes with her that Celeste was ill, but for all Alex knew, she could've had a severe case of Bronchitis. She pushed away from the door and walked into the bathroom to splash water on her face.

Until that moment in Alex's room, Piper had never seriously considered running the inn on her own, and she didn't know where that statement had come from other than pure emotions boiling to the surface. Facing Alex in that situation, she'd just blurted it out without much consideration, and now the idea was stuck in her head like a rutted pig. Piper couldn't be serious about running the inn—she had no business background and no desire to live in Essex. Her life was in Connecticut, and she was happy there.

"Piper, honey?"

"I'll be right there, grandma." She dried her face and stared at her reflection in the mirror. There was no way she'd tell her grandmother what had transpired; she needed to act like everything was just fine.

"You still haven't hung the garland from last night?"

Piper took a deep breath and ventured into the lobby. "I'll do it now." She pulled out the step stool and positioned it next to the other white beam.

Her grandmother looked around. "Where's Alex?"

Piper lifted the garland. "She had some work to do."

Celeste leaned closer and whispered, "What do you think of her?"

The blonde really didn't know how to answer that question. Alex seemed like a fair-minded business woman, but she was there to make a deal. _Period_. Her offer would have everything to do with what she observed at the inn as well as around town, and Piper wouldn't put it past _any_ business person to lower their original offer after finding out that the owner had cancer.

Then there was the matter of attraction, which Piper could barely acknowledge herself, but could certainly not deny. Alex was beautiful, confident and had an easy going nature that seemed to contradict her role at the Huxley Collection. Piper dared not mention anything about Alex's physical appearance to her grandma, nor did she want Alex to sniff out her attraction.

"She's fine, I guess," the blonde offered indifferently.

Celeste handed her a piece of twine. "That's all you have to say?"

"What else do you want me to say?" The blonde blinked down at her grandmother. "It's not like we became fast friends in the few hours she's been here."

"Spend some time with her," Celeste requested. "See if you can figure out her concerns about the inn."

Piper's thoughts were diametrically opposed: On one hand, she was upset with herself for _wanting_ to spend time with the enigmatic business woman, but on the other, she was thrilled that her grandmother made the request. Putting her thoughts aside to focus on the task at hand, she got on her tip toes to try to fasten the twine around the garland.

"Need some help?"

The blonde turned to see Alex shuffling down the stairs.

"I got it." She stretched even further and almost fell off the stool.

"Whoa, kid." Alex rushed over and put her hands on Piper's hips. "I don't want to buy a place where a woman died in the lobby, so maybe you ought to let me get up there."

Piper's eyes skidded to where Alex's hands laid firmly on her hips. She had strong hands and long fingers, and her fingertips were digging into the blonde's skin. Piper was sure that if Alex's hands gripped her that hard for a few seconds longer, she'd bruise her skin. Her mind quickly raced to other reasons Alex's hands might hold her hips, and she had to look away before allowing that image to fully surface.

She climbed down the two steps, handing the twine to the other woman. "Have at it."

Alex took the string, and their fingers touched. Piper swallowed hard before backing away and shoving her hand into her jeans pocket. The brunette climbed onto the ladder and secured the twine around the garland with ease.

"How does that look?"

"Perfect. Thank you so much, Alex." Celeste coughed several times, but it wasn't as bad as it had been that morning. She glanced at Piper. "I noticed that Larry hung the lights outside yesterday."

"He did." The blonde raised her eyes to meet Alex's, and then she put the step stool into the hall closet.

"That was very thoughtful of him."

"It was." Piper busied herself stacking papers on the dining room table, uncomfortable talking about Larry with Alex present.

"Who's Larry?" Alex joined Celeste on the sofa, and the blonde could see her lips turn into a small smirk.

"He's a handsome young man who lives about a block away," Celeste began. "And he's had a crush on my granddaughter since they were kids."

"Grandma!"

Alex bent her lips into an upside down 'U' and nodded. "Handsome _and_ helpful? Sounds like quite a catch."

" _I_ think so," the older woman said, looking back at her granddaughter.

Piper put a stack of papers into a file folder and walked into the lobby, jutting one leg forward and crossing her arms. "He still lives with his parents."

"What's wrong with that?" Alex smirked, and Piper could tell she was enjoying this, so she decided to play along.

"It just wouldn't be ideal if we wanted to have sex," she replied.

"Heavens, Piper!" Celeste put a hand over her heart.

Alex's smirk grew. "You could always do it here at the inn."

"This conversation _has_ to stop," Celeste begged, moving to the edge of the seat cushion.

Ignoring her grandma's discomfort, Piper pretended to contemplate Alex's suggestion with a finger tapping her chin. "I suppose you're right. Anyway, I'm going to the tree lighting ceremony with him tomorrow night."

The brunette's face twitched, and Piper knew she'd won that round.

"I have to go to run some errands. See you two later." Piper walked into the kitchen, then into the back room to put on her coat and boots. She wasn't sure why she considered it a 'victory' that she'd lied to Alex about going out with Larry the next night, but for some reason, she wanted the dark haired woman to be jealous. Piper shook her head at her ridiculousness as she stepped into the cold air and tried not to think about Alex.

* * *

"I suppose you and I should get down to business," the elderly woman said as she strolled into the kitchen. "Can I make you some tea?"

"Tea would be nice, thanks."

Celeste held up two boxes of tea for Alex to choose. She picked the Chamomile and watched the older woman put water into a kettle and light the gas stove as if she'd done it a thousand times.

"Now that you've seen the property," Celeste began. "Do you have any questions for me?"

They discussed everything from the last time the inn was renovated to the type of plumbing installed to how many people were officially on the payroll. By the time they were done, Alex's stomach was growling.

"I take it you're hungry?" Celeste asked with a smile.

"Sorry, I guess I am." She held her tummy.

"I'll make you a ham sandwich."

"You don't have to go through any trouble, I can make my way down to the café…"

Celeste held up her hand in protest. "Nonsense. I'll make you a sandwich, and then I should probably rest."

"Thank you." She filled her empty tea cup with water and then asked a question she'd been curious to know the answer to since her arrival. "How long is Piper planning to stick around?"

She spread mayonnaise and mustard onto the bread. "Not long enough."

"I assume she's a big help around here," Alex stated.

"I couldn't have decorated without her, that's for sure." She slid the plate over to her guest.

"Thank you." Alex put a napkin on her lap. "Do you think she could run the inn?"

"Could she? Absolutely." Celeste popped a pill into her mouth after a cough. "Piper has never expressed interest in managing this place. She doesn't like small town life, and she certainly isn't filled with Christmas cheer—at least not in her adult life. As a child, Piper _loved_ the holidays."

On one hand, the brunette was pleased to hear Celeste's thoughts on Piper's disinterest in managing the property, but on the other, she felt sorry for Piper for not having the spirit her grandmother sought in a new innkeeper.

"This is my seventh year doing this sort of thing, and it's always hard for a younger family member to give up a property that has been in the family for generations." Alex dabbed her mouth with the napkin. "I just don't want this to cause a rift between the two of you."

"Piper doesn't want me to sell to a big company." Celeste took a sip of tea. "But she also doesn't want to take it over herself, that much is clear."

"You're not worried that she might change her mind?"

"No." She coughed several times. "Sorry about that." Celeste patted her chest as if that would stop her coughing. "If you don't mind, I'm going to head to my room. Piper should be back soon. Feel free to wait for her or go explore the town on your own."

The brunette finished her sandwich and looked around the kitchen and into the dining room. The place was cozy and warm, and she could see why Piper was so fond of it. Alex wondered if Piper's statements to her earlier that day about running the inn had more to do with wanting to hold on to a memory rather than actually getting into the business of inn keeping.

She walked into the lobby and noticed an antique record player near the entryway. A Bing Crosby Christmas album was on it, so she put the needle in place and turned the volume down just a bit so as not to disturb Celeste. Alex smiled at the old crooner's voice. She decided to get her laptop from upstairs and bring it into the lobby to add some notes about the inn. When she was finally in place to type her notes, she heard a tap on the door, and a man breezed in.

"Hello? Mrs. Chapman? Piper?"

"Can I help you?" Alex craned her neck to get a look a better look at the guest.

A man wearing a flannel shirt under a puffy vest stepped inside. "Hi. Is Piper here?"

"Sorry, I don't think she is." The brunette placed her laptop on the cushion next to her and swiveled around. "Are you staying at the inn tonight?"

"Me?" He pointed at his chest. "No, I'm Larry Bloom. I live around the corner."

"Ah." Alex stood and grinned at the shorter man. "You're the guy Piper has a crush on."

"Did she tell you that?" His eyes popped open. "Who are you, by the way?"

"I'm…" Alex hesitated to reveal who she really was. She found that people in a small town where their long-standing inn was being purchased by an outside company didn't always treat her well. "I'm a guest from Manhattan."

"Oh. Welcome to Essex." Larry stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Piper told you she has a crush on me?"

"She didn't _say_ it so much as she _implied_ it," Alex replied, folding her arms as she spun a little tale. "She told me that the two of you are going to some tree-lighting thing tomorrow."

"We are?" He jutted his head back. "I don't remember her agreeing to that, but I'd love to take her."

Just as Alex suspected, Piper had told a white lie of her own. "She said you might stop by, and she wants you to pick her up at six."

"Pick her up?" He looked confused. "We could just walk 50 feet to the park."

"Yeah," she recovered. "That's what I meant—Piper wants you to meet her here at six o'clock tomorrow so that you can walk over together."

"Great!" Larry exclaimed. "I guess I'll see her then."

"What did you come here for originally?" Alex asked, eyeing the man.

"Oh, just to see if Piper and Mrs. Chapman liked the lights that I hung outside."

"They do." She grinned. "In fact, they were telling me what a good guy you are, Larry."

He nodded. "Thank you. Maybe I'll see you at the tree lighting tomorrow?"

"Wouldn't miss it." She waved goodbye with a shit-eating grin as he walked backwards out the door.

* * *

Piper spent most of the day out of the house for two reasons: first, she didn't want to be in close proximity to Alex; and second, she needed to do massive amounts of research on what it would take to run an inn. Turns out, it wasn't that easy. She didn't _really_ think she could do it, but turning her family's property over to the Huxley Collection just felt wrong. Piper considered hiring a couple of people from Essex to run the day-to-day operations, and she could manage the property from afar. Her grandmother would surely agree to that.

"Grandma?" The blonde opened the front door, wiping her snowy boots on the doormat.

The older woman didn't answer, so Piper checked in her room and found Celeste in bed. She smiled at her sleeping form, but the smile quickly turned upside down as she thought about her grandmother's declining health. As a child, Piper had a tumultuous relationship with her mother, and her grandma had stepped in to be that motherly figure that Piper desperately needed during her formative years. She owed Celeste for helping her become the woman she was today, and there was no way she'd let her down.

Alex strolled down the stairs just as Piper made her way back to the lobby. "Hey."

"How's your day so far?" The blonde asked.

"It's good." She put on her thick coat and gloves. "I was just about to go explore the town."

"Want some company?" Piper needed to find out if the brunette was sincere and trustworthy, and if she could do some sleuthing under the guise of being helpful, she'd consider it a success.

"Sure." Alex gave her a small smile. "Lead the way."

"You ok in those shoes?" The snow was piled two feet high on either side of the sidewalk, but the pavement had been iced twice already that day.

"We've been over this before." She looked at her feet. "I'll be fine."

"Where should we begin?" Piper scanned the main area of town called the Square, which bordered the small park in the center of the village.

"What's the history of Essex?"

"I don't remember the year it was founded, but there's a plaque in the park with that information." They walked across the street and into the park, passing by a father and his daughter, building a snowman.

The little girl waved. "Hi, Piper."

"Hi, Chloe. Your snowman looks awesome!" She bent down to give the girl a hug. "He's missing arms though."

"We couldn't find any branches, and daddy won't let me break any off the big tree," she pouted.

"Honey, that tree will be lit tomorrow night. Imagine if it was missing branches," the father stated. "Hi, Piper."

"Hey, Kent. This is Alex, and Alex, this is Kent's daughter, Chloe." The blonde pulled her wool cap lower to cover her ears more fully. "Kent and I grew up in the same circle when I visited Essex."

The two adults shook hands, and then Alex shook Chloe's hand. "How old are you, Chloe?"

"I'm six!" she proudly announced.

"Piper was an incredible sledder when she was younger," Kent added. "She kicked my ass every year until I turned 18."

"Daddy said, 'ass.'" Chloe giggled, covering her mouth.

"I'd won all the trophies I could store in my room by that point, so I let you win." Piper smiled widely and bent down to Chloe's level. "Alex and I are going to find some arms for your snowman."

"We are?" the brunette did not seem thrilled with that idea.

"We are," she stated. "Come on." Piper began a slow jog to the far end of the park, straight through the knee deep snow, while Alex stayed on the sidewalk along the perimeter. "It's all about the shoes!"

Alex grinned. "I have long legs; I'll be across the park in no time."

Piper didn't need the brunette to point out her long legs—she'd already noticed the way her pants hugged her figure hours ago.

Piper jogged backwards next to her. "So it's a race?"

"You're on." The brunette walked briskly on the sidewalk and turned the corner.

Piper watched her intently—cheeks reddened from the cold breeze, long black hair flowing over her shoulders, and a smile that grew wider with each step. She wondered if there was a bit of playfulness in Alex that didn't come out as often as she might like. If there was, Piper was determined to bring it out.

"I won," the blonde announced, leaning against an elm tree.

"With an unfair advantage," she announced, tossing a chunk of dark hair over her shoulder. "If we have the opportunity to compete again, I'll be the victorious one."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Piper let out a small laugh at Alex's competitive nature. "Help me find the snowman's arms."

Alex looked on the ground for appropriate sticks. "You were telling me about the history of Essex."

"Oh, right. The plaque with the founding year is over there, but I can tell you that it was first established as a logging community, and then when Stowe became a skiing destination, people started moving to or staying in Essex, which is only 20 miles away," Piper began, pointing to the East. "That building is the old school house where my grandparents and father went to school. Now, it's a museum filled with costumes, props and town memorabilia. Community theater is pretty popular here. _The Sound of Music_ is playing tonight if you want to go." She held up a stick. "This one should work. Find anything?"

"How about this one?" Alex held up a long, thick branch.

Piper laughed at her idea of a snowman's arm. "Have you ever built a snowman?"

She tossed the branch aside. "Are you going to bust into the _Frozen_ theme song? You'd make a good Elsa."

Piper broke another stick for the second arm. " _You've_ seen Frozen?"

"Believe it or not, I have." Alex clapped snow off of her gloved hands. "There's a lot you'd discover about me if we had the chance."

The blonde pondered her statement, curious about what would've happened if they'd met under different circumstances.

"Granted, it was the only movie on a flight from New York to Miami, but I _did_ watch it."

"That's cheating!" Piper threw a snowball at her, and it landed on her upper arm.

"How is watching a movie on a plane _cheating_?" The brunette chuckled, bending down to make a snowball of her own.

"Because you had no control over what film was playing—you were _forced_ to watch it."

Alex tossed the snowball at the blonde, hitting her square in the chest.

"Ahh!" Piper squealed. "That's your ass."

They each picked up as much snow as their hands could manage and threw it at the other, inching closer as the snowballs were less tightly packed and couldn't produce a satisfying _smack_ on the other woman's body. Alex grabbed two handfuls and dumped it on Piper's head, forcing another squeal from the blonde. Not to be outdone, Piper pushed Alex down and shoved a handful of snow down the back of her coat.

"Fuck, that's freezing!" the brunette yelped, bouncing around to try to get the snow out.

"I give up!" Piper held her hands in the air. "That was a low blow, sorry."

"No you're not," Alex laughed, taking her coat off and shaking it out.

"You're right, I'm not," the blonde snickered. "Here, let me help." She walked around and patted Alex's back, effectively removing the dusting of snow from her sweater. Piper felt her broad, muscular shoulders and kept her hands on that area longer than she probably should have. "I'll trade coats with you."

She put her coat back on. "Don't be silly; it's just a little snow. I'll be fine."

"You're much more fun when you're not talking business," Piper said with all sincerity.

"You're much more fun when you're not so self-righteous." She lifted one eyebrow. "Let's make a deal. I won't talk about business the rest of the day if you don't try to talk me out of buying the inn with your own agenda in mind."

"Deal." Piper shook her hand, and they didn't let go for several long seconds, both women smiling as if that was a fresh start.

* * *

"Piiiiiper!" Chloe yelled from across the Square.

"Coming!" The blonde picked up the two sticks and waved them at the little girl. "Let's bring these over to Chloe, and then I'll take you on the rest of the tour."

Alex was a little surprised that Piper walked on the sidewalk with her, rather than traipsing back through the snow, but she didn't make mention of it. The more she learned about the blonde, the more Alex realized that Piper was like a Tootsie Pop, and she was eager to lick away layer after layer until she got to the ooey, gooey center.

Piper handed the sticks to Chloe. "What do you think of these?"

"Perfect!" The little girl shoved one stick into the side of the snowman, and Kent stuck the other one in. "I'm going to name her Piper."

"I'm honored." The blonde smiled. "See you guys at the tree lighting tomorrow."

Kent waved. "See you then. Nice to meet you, Alex."

"You, too." She lifted her hand as they walked away. "What do I have to do to get a snowman named after me?"

Piper looked up at her with bright, joyful eyes. "I'll build one for you and call it Alex."

Even though it was a completely silly gesture, Alex was touched.

They came upon the plaque that Piper had told her about, and Alex read about the history of Essex, which was founded in 1763. The town looked like it belonged in a Norman Rockwell painting—each storefront was decorated with Christmas lights, the trees in front were flocked with snow, and a horse-drawn carriage paraded around the Square with a giddy family inside.

"Would you like to buy an ornament?" A little girl asked from behind a table in front of the church.

Alex surveyed their goods. "Did you make these?"

Both girls behind the table nodded.

She picked up one of the handmade goods, and it sent shivers down her spine at its familiarity. "I used to make ornaments like this with my mom when I was your age."

"Did you make angels?" One of the girls asked.

"I did." Alex smiled with admiration. "And snowflakes, candy canes and elves."

"We have those, too." The girl pointed towards the other end of the table. "They're $5 each, and the money will help my school buy new computers."

She dug into her pants pocket and pulled out a $20 bill. "I'll take four of them. Piper, why don't you choose two, and I'll pick the other two?"

The blonde smiled and leaned over to look at the ornaments. "What about this one?" It was a Christmas tree made out of white folded paper, with a wine cork as the tree trunk.

"Love it." Alex chose a reindeer and a snowflake, both made out of popsicle sticks just like she'd used when she was a child.

Piper held up a dove made out of pages from a paperback book. "This one is really cool."

"I made one exactly like this when I was ten." Alex gently took the ornament from her and stared at it. "My mom got upset with me for tearing pages out of her Harlequin novel, but I'd seen it in a magazine at the doctor's office, and I knew I'd get in _more_ trouble if I'd ripped the pages out of one of my own books."

"I guess it was meant to be." Piper smiled softly at her.

They ventured into Swanson's Bookstore, where Alex purchased a book about rural Vermont as well as a first edition of her favorite childhood book, _Charlotte's Web_. Afterwards, Piper took her into the town church, where a school choir was practicing Christmas songs.

"Every year on Christmas Eve, the middle school choir participates in a state-wide caroling competition in Stowe," the blonde leaned over and whispered.

Piper's breath smelled minty, and a part of Alex wanted to kiss her ever so gently to see if she tasted like a candy cane. The brunette flicked her eyes towards Piper's mouth, and she was fairly certain the look wasn't lost on Piper.

"Mind if we listen for a while?" Alex asked.

Piper led her to a pew in the middle of the church, and Alex took off her coat and gloves as she sat next to the blonde. The large, stained glass windows were like nothing Alex had ever seen. The pews were decorated with garland, and the alter had four Christmas trees outfitted with white lights and ceramic ornaments.

"My grandparents got married in this church," Piper whispered.

"It's a beautiful space." Alex let her arms rest on either side of her body, hands pressed against the cold wood beneath them. She closed her eyes and felt Piper's gloved hand cover half of hers. The brunette wondered if Piper simply couldn't feel that she was touching her through her thick glove, but when both of them looked down at the pew at the same time, Piper squeezed her hand and smiled before releasing it.

Alex wasn't sure what to make of the gesture; all she knew was that she liked it—liked the way their hands looked together, liked the way it felt, and liked that Piper had the courage to touch her in the simplest way. Sexual desire gushed through her right down to her center, and she thought about giving into her Hedonistic ways and fucking Piper right there in church, but she thought that the choir director might have a problem with that.

It was as if the stars aligned and Alex was meant to be in Essex to get in touch with her inner Christmas spirit that had been dormant for 20 years.

That, and to meet Piper Chapman.


	3. Chapter 3

They made their way back to the Haystack, and Piper announced that she needed to call her boss in Hartford to check in. It was just as well, because Alex had at least a hundred e-mails to return and the proposal to work on to buy the inn for the Huxley Collection.

"Thank you for showing me around this afternoon," Alex said just before climbing the stairs.

"It was fun." Piper smiled, glad that the guest had enjoyed herself.

"You mentioned _The Sound of Music_ was playing tonight," Alex recalled. "I'd love to see it."

"With me?" Piper asked, a little shocked by the soft invite.

"If you're up for it." The brunette smiled softly. "I'll even buy you dinner."

"I'd like that very much." Piper blushed, tucking her hair behind an ear. "The show starts at eight."

"Good. Meet in the lobby at six?"

She nodded. "See you in a couple of hours."

Piper checked in quickly with her grandmother, who was feeling a bit under the weather, so the blonde promised to keep Alex occupied that evening. (A promise she'd very much enjoy keeping.)

When she'd first met Alex, Piper was struck by her beauty, but also by her down-to-business attitude. She never expected Alex to let down her guard and be entertaining, yet she was a _joy_ to be around. Sure, she was snarky and opinionated, but Piper found those qualities almost as attractive as her more sensitive side. Alex was showing her that Christmas as an adult could be fun, and if nothing else happened between them, that was certainly a welcome feeling.

The blonde put in an hour and a half of work, and then took a shower before her evening with Alex. She was positively giddy at the opportunity to get to know the brunette better, especially if they kept business off the table. The last thing Piper wanted was to ruin the evening by discussing the sale of The Haystack Inn.

She had only packed one dress, which was a blue, black and white fitted dress that she'd bought for the office Christmas party the month before. She quickly curled her hair, and then rushed into the lobby to meet Alex.

The brunette was waiting for her in front of the inn's Christmas tree. "What do you think?"

"They're lovely." Piper eyed the the ornaments that Alex had bought from the school girls. "But you should take those home."

"I will; I just wanted to see them on the tree." Alex smiled, reverently touching the reindeer ornament. "You look beu…great, by the way." She nudged her glasses, the word, _beautiful_ , stuck in her throat, but it wasn't lost on Piper.

The blonde's mouth went dry as she stared at Alex in a tight black dress. "So do you."

"It's not too tight?" She looked at herself in the mirror across from the tree.

"Definitely not." The blonde tried to hide her blush, but judging by the smirk on Alex's face, she knew she'd failed. "We should head out. Italian ok with you?"

"Are there any other options in town?"

The blonde shrugged. "Italian or American, that's it, unless you want to drive to Stowe."

"No, Italian sounds delicious." Alex helped her into her long, ivory coat. "This is stunning. Is it Chanel?"

"Thank you, it is." She shrugged both arms into the sleeves. "It was my grandmother's coat. She gave it to me last Christmas after she had trouble buttoning it because of her arthritis. When I'd play dress up at the inn, she'd let me borrow it."

"It suits you, Elsa." Alex grinned.

Piper laughed at the reference, and then walked out of the front door onto the tree-lit walkway.

They made their way to Nicolino's as Piper told her companion about the family that owned the restaurant. She appreciated what a good listener Alex was—she looked Piper in the eye, asked all the right questions, and seemed genuinely interested in what she was saying. There were times when she caught Alex staring at her mouth, making her cheeks flush, but she hoped the brunette hadn't caught her doing the same.

Alex's lips were full and _kissable_ , and when she wore red lipstick like she had on that evening, they were hard to resist.

They were seated in the back of the restaurant away from the crowd, and both women ordered a salad and the Linguine Puttanesca.

"Tell me about growing up at the inn," she said around a bite of pasta.

"It was always this _magical_ place." Piper sucked a deep breath in through her nose as if the magnitude of what the inn meant to her was too hard to describe. "When things were shitty at home, or when I was going through my moody teenage years, I'd come to the inn, and every worry or fear or problem seemed to disappear." She shook her head and glanced into the distance. "We'd come up three or four times a year until my older brother went to college. In the summer, my brothers and I would swim in the pond, trying to catch fish with our hands; set up forts in the trees behind the inn; go horseback riding for hours on end…"

"I'd love to see this place in the summer," Alex offered. "I'm sure it's just as beautiful."

"It is." She took a sip of wine. "Autumn is probably my second favorite time of year, after Christmas. We didn't come up that often in the fall, because we were in school, but when we did, it was amazing. The foliage is stunning even through a kid's eyes. We'd rake big piles of leaves and jump in them, which really pissed my grandfather off," she chuckled. "We'd tap the maple trees, help Mr. Ellis haul big bales of hay for the horses, pick pumpkins at the local pumpkin patch…I remember bringing pumpkins home and helping my grandma bake pies." She smelled the air as if the memory would allow her to smell the pies they'd baked all those years ago. "There was a time when I thought I'd be a baker."

"Really?" Alex smiled.

She nodded, and for a moment, sadness crossed her face. "I couldn't tell you the last time I baked a pie."

"That's a shame. You should get back in the kitchen."

"I really should." Piper hadn't had time to bake since she'd gone to Smith, and things became even more hectic when she joined the work force. She really did miss the feeling of baking pies from scratch.

They didn't have time to eat dessert before the show, so Alex paid the tab, citing _it was the least she could do_ , and they headed to the community theater four blocks away.

"I talked about myself the whole dinner," Piper noted. "I didn't get to hear anything about you."

"I enjoyed listening." She smiled. "What do you want to know?"

"How did you spend the holidays growing up?"

Alex tossed her hair over her shoulders and seemed to contemplate the question. "I didn't make homemade ornaments because I was crafty; I made them because we couldn't afford them at the store," she began. "I grew up with a single mom, and we were very poor. Food stamps, WIC, the whole nine yards."

That astonished the blonde, but she remained silent.

"I don't have a ton of Christmas memories, because it wasn't a big deal—it couldn't be. We'd get a Charlie Brown tree, maybe hang a strand of lights around our door, I'd help my mom bake Pillsbury cookies, and that was pretty much it." She let out a long breath. "Santa would bring me exactly two gifts every year—a thrift store sweater and a novel."

"No toys?" Piper questioned.

"No." She shook her head. "I remember wanting to get my mom something for Christmas when I was 12 or 13, but I literally had no money, so I stole a bottle of perfume from the department store. It wasn't even the good stuff. Not my proudest moment."

Piper put a hand on her arm. "I'm so sorry, Alex."

The brunette looked at her hand, and covered it with her own. They walked like that for a few steps until Alex let go. The exhilaration of _walking_ _like a couple_ with Alex felt natural, and Piper found herself wishing for something more.

"My mom found out that I'd stolen the perfume, and she was enraged. She made me return it and apologize to the store manager." She adjusted her glasses. "After that, I guess I just lost the Christmas spirit, you know?"

"I'd imagine that would be tough as a kid," the blonde offered.

Alex's lips slowly turned upwards. "It's ok; I'm starting to remember what the Christmas spirit was all about."

Piper returned her smile as they walked up to the booth and purchased two tickets for the show.

* * *

Living in Manhattan, Alex saw at least three Broadway shows a year, so her expectations for the townspeople of Essex's version of _The Sound of Music_ were very low.

"That was fantastic!" she announced as they exited the theater.

Piper buttoned her coat. "You sound surprised."

She smiled. "I am—I mean, I know community theater can be good, but they were _amazing_."

The blonde put on her hat. "Glad you liked it."

Alex was silent during their walk back to the inn, reflecting on everything that had transpired that day. From the impromptu snow fight to shopping in the village to buying ornaments that reminded her of Christmases long ago, everything had been _perfect_. There were moments that day when she'd catch Piper doing something completely ordinary, yet it somehow tickled Alex, and the brunette wondered if they'd make a good couple—a _permanent_ couple, not some random holiday hookup. Earlier that day, she'd banished those thoughts, but on that short walk back to the Haystack, she allowed them to play out in her head.

"It's getting late; I'm going to check on my grandma and head to bed," Piper announced, taking off her outerwear in the hallway.

Alex didn't realize exactly how much she didn't want to hear those words—she wanted to stay up all night and learn more about Piper. She wanted to accidentally brush up against her or play footsies under the table, or stop staring at her lips and just _kiss her already_ —things that teenagers think when they "like" someone. Instead, she was faced with an exhausted Piper, which meant she should probably turn in, too.

"I guess I'll see you in the morning." Alex hoped sadness didn't echo in her voice.

"Yeah, good night."

And then Piper did something unexpected: she hugged her. Alex still had on her coat, but Piper's arms encircled her underneath the thick garment and wrapped around her waist. The brunette strung hers around Piper's shoulders, holding her as tightly as possible. Her head was spinning and her heart was in her throat. She wanted desperately to kiss the blonde, but the moment didn't feel right—it felt warm and cozy and _right_ , just like the inn.

* * *

Alex was never one to sleep in, yet when she rolled over in her toasty bed that morning, she noticed the digital clock read 9 a.m. She shot up and rubbed her face, remembering where she was and with whom she'd spent the day and evening the day before. A smile crossed her face: she'd get to see Piper as soon as she went downstairs that morning. _This was what most kids probably felt like on Christmas morning_.

She took a quick shower, dried her hair and put on a pair of jeans and a red sweater with snowflakes on it—the closest thing to a Christmas sweater that she owned. Alex jogged down the stairs, eager to see Piper's warm smile on that cold December morning, but the blonde was nowhere to be found.

She walked as casually as she could into the kitchen. "Morning, Celeste."

"Oh, hi, Alex. Did you sleep well?"

" _Too_ well, thanks. I haven't slept this late in years." She searched for a mug in the cabinet that she remembered Piper digging in the day before. "Mind if I get some coffee?"

"By all means." Celeste handed her the newspaper. "Would you like to read any of this?"

"Sure." Alex poured coffee into her cup, pulling out the Business section of the _Vermont Daily News_. She sat on a stool and pretended to read the paper. "Where's Piper this morning?" she blurted out, lacking the patience to find out on her own.

"I'm not sure." Celeste took the Living section. "She might still be sleeping."

Just then, the blonde breezed in through the back door and marched into the kitchen, a little out of breath. Alex was in the middle of lifting her coffee mug to her mouth and stopped midway at the sight in front of her. Piper removed her fleece hat, and her messy blonde hair all but fell out of a low ponytail. Her face was flushed, and her lips were moistened with Chapstick. She had on black running tights, Nike shoes, and a purple hoodie that gathered at the waist. Alex's eyes were drawn to her ass like a moth to a flame, and she had to lower her mug for fear of spilling it all over herself at _how fucking hot_ the blonde looked.

"Morning," Piper greeted them, wiping sweat from her forehead with her sleeve.

"It's awfully cold for a run this morning," Celeste said. "The thermometer outside was at freezing half an hour ago."

Alex couldn't recall a time when she'd been rendered speechless, but there she sat, vocal chords temporarily unable to function, eyes roaming Piper's body like a hungry wolf.

"Makes the blood flow better." The blonde smiled at her companion. "Good morning, Alex. Did you sleep well?"

The brunette cleared her throat and replied, "I did." She was thankful that her voice worked, but she was afraid that Piper could see her eyes glued to her long, lithe body.

"So did I—like a log." Piper filled a glass with water. "I didn't know if you were a runner, so I didn't want to wake you to see if you wanted to go with me."

"I'm not." She looked down at the paper, needing to avert her eyes before Celeste found her coveting her granddaughter's body. "I belong to a boxing studio in Queens, so that's been my form of exercise for the past couple of years." She stretched her back and twisted her neck. "I could use some physical activity though."

Piper sidled up to Alex, hip touching the brunette's shoulder. "Then we'll go sledding."

She'd been thinking far more sexually than Piper that morning; definitely nothing along the lines of _sledding_. "I don't think so." Alex smiled dismissively and tried to concentrate on an article where she'd read the same sentence six times due to Piper's nearness.

Piper took a sip of water. "I thought you wanted to see all of the Essex traditions?"

" _See_ , not _participate_ _in_ ," she explained.

"Oh, come on." Piper turned around, butt against the granite, inches from Alex's hand. "It'll be fun."

"Piper was an excellent sledder back in the day." Celeste coughed.

Alex grinned. "So I've heard."

"I'll make you breakfast, and then we'll head out." The blonde touched her arm, and Alex clenched her hand to stop it from touching her.

The brunette took another sip of coffee. "You say it like it's settled."

"It is." Piper shrugged. "I'll do whatever you want this afternoon, but this morning, we're sledding."

Although the blonde overcooked the eggs and burnt the toast, Alex couldn't stop staring. If the blonde would just keep buzzing around the kitchen in her workout gear, Alex would eat whatever Piper put in front of her and listen to whatever story she'd tell (that morning, it was about the family of deer she saw on her run). At one point, Alex knew she'd have to excuse herself for fear of ravishing Piper next to the kitchen sink, but until she couldn't take it anymore, she'd watch the other woman's every move.

"It's hot in here, grandma." Piper removed her sweatshirt, leaving her standing there in a tight white t-shirt with a red sports bra underneath. As she lifted the garment, her t-shirt rose all the way up her flat belly, and Alex let out an audible whimper.

Alex fanned herself with the newspaper, but had the wherewithal to refrain from licking her lips. "It is."

The blonde gave her a look, and in that moment, Alex figured Piper knew _exactly_ what she was doing to her.

"Like I said, it was 32 degrees this morning, so I raised the thermostat." Celeste got up to adjust the temperature. "You girls have fun today. Alex, let's take a closer look at the books later."

"Yes." The brunette quickly faced Celeste and was thankful for her interruption of Alex's dirty, _dirty_ thoughts. "How about right after lunch?"

"Sounds good. I'm going to Betty's bakery in a few minutes to help her with the cookies," she announced. "Be careful on the hill. I don't want any broken bones this year."

"Don't forget your medicine." Piper handed her two vials and hugged her before she disappeared around the corner.

"Broken bones?"

"She's just kidding," the blonde tried.

Alex pushed her plate away, careful to keep her eyes averted from the sexy blonde. "Thanks for breakfast."

"You're welcome." She took the plate and silverware, once again, brushing shoulders with Alex. "Oh, before I forget, I got you something on my way back this morning." Piper went into the other room and handed her a bag.

Alex looked inside. "You bought me a present?"

She leaned against the edge of the island, crossing her legs at the ankles. "Think of it as a _Welcome to Essex_ gift."

A smile crossed Alex's face. "Wow. This is…"

Piper lifted her eyebrows. "Necessary."

"Perfect." She set the box on the counter and pulled out one of the Sorel winter boots.

"If they're a little big, just double up your socks," the blonde offered. "You _do_ have socks, right?"

"I think I packed a couple pair, yes." Alex lifted one of the tassles hanging from Piper's sweatshirt. "Thank you. Really."

"You're welcome." She smiled and looked down. "I'll need to change my clothes before we go sledding."

"Thank God," Alex mumbled under her breath. She was _this close_ to not being able to take it anymore.

"What was that?" Piper leaned closer, grin on her face. "I couldn't quite hear you."

She playfully shoved the blonde towards the entryway and blushed. "I think your hearing is just fine."

Piper's smirk remained in place as she turned and walked out of the kitchen, giving Alex a perfect view of her ass.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's note: This is the longest chapter I've ever posted for any of my stories, so Merry Christmas, readers! I don't know if I'll be able to post for the next two days, so I'm hoping 17 pages of text will hold you over and leave you with some warm fuzzies. I've divided the story into chapters, and it looks like there will be seven, so three more after this one. Thank you for the reviews so far! Please keep them coming; they always bring a smile to my face.

* * *

Piper had no intention of prancing around in her spandex that morning—she'd gone on a fantastic three mile run and had planned on making breakfast when she returned to the inn. However, when she saw the brunette's reaction to her workout attire, Piper was shocked by Alex's physical response. The blonde didn't know if she had the skills to pull off a healthy dose of morning flirtation, but judging by the way Alex couldn't peel her eyes away from her, she considered it a success.

"It should be noted that I've never gone sledding before." Alex looked at her outfit. "Is this ok?"

She had on the same clothes that she'd worn 30 minutes earlier.

"It's fine. How are those boots?"

"They're really nice, thanks again."

"Let's get going." Piper had changed into ski pants and a thick, Nordic sweater. "I already loaded the sled on top of the Jeep."

They made their way up the hill, and Piper told tales of sled races in the past when she'd run into a tree once and into the crowd another time.

The brunette rolled her eyes. "Can't wait."

Piper explained the basics of sledding as Alex watched a handful of kids jump on their boards and fly down the hill.

"Ready?" She put her hand on the brunette's shoulder. "I'll push off first, but you have to steer with these." She handed her the reins. "Just pull the strings either way to keep us going in a straight line. It's easy."

"I hope I don't regret this." She sat on the sled, and Piper pushed with all of her might to get them going.

They zipped down the hill, Alex yelling and making the sled zig-zag across the hill. Piper hung onto the brunette and grabbed the reins. "Like this!" They straightened out, and she handed the ropes back to Alex, who quickly got the hang of it.

They slowed down at the bottom of the hill and toppled over, Piper landing squarely on Alex's midsection. The women were laughing so hard that they couldn't get up.

"How was it?" Piper finally breathed out, inches away from the brunette's face.

"Awful," Alex complained with an extensive smile, tucking an errant strand of hair behind Piper's ear.

She got to her feet and stuck out her hand to help Alex up. "Too bad; we're going again."

They went up the hill four more times, and Alex liked the back position more than she did the steering one, though she wasn't an expert at either. On the last run, they fell off the sled again and laid there for a few minutes.

"You suck at sledding," Piper giggled, legs tangled with the brunette's and one arm resting across her chest.

"This is my favorite part." Alex smiled so sweetly, Piper thought she might melt.

As they piled back into the Jeep, both exhausted, the blonde wished that Alex wasn't there to buy her family's inn and that she wouldn't have to go back to Hartford so soon after the holidays. She wished time would stand still. Except for the lack of a kiss—she'd wanted to kiss Alex the day before—and that desire increased tenfold after getting to know her better.

They got back to the inn, both famished, and Piper baked a frozen pizza, while Alex tossed a salad.

"I had to cancel my Christmas party," Alex said out of the blue.

"Really? I didn't know you were hosting one." Piper lifted a mushroom off a slice of pizza. "Do you eat these?"

"Yeah." She took the proffered mushroom and popped it into her mouth. "I'll take all of yours. You can have my bell peppers."

"Yum. I love bell peppers, especially on pizza."

"Until I came here, the only thing I liked about Christmas was the parties. And the eggnog. I _love_ eggnog." She grabbed a second slice of pizza, picking off the bell peppers and putting them on the blonde's plate.

Piper placed the peppers on her slice. "How many people were you expecting?"

"Eight to ten, figured I'd start small—it's my first one. Well, it _would have been_ my first time hosting a holiday party," she said. "I texted my friends this morning."

"Were they upset?"

"A few of them were, but they'll find other parties to go to." She took a sip of water. "There are no shortage of Christmas events in Manhattan."

She finished her second piece. "Had you bought all the supplies and decorations?"

"Ha!" Alex covered her mouth with a napkin. "I hadn't even thought about any of that before I left. My apartment has a plastic wreath on the front door and pine scented candles in the living room; that's about it."

Piper threw her paper plate away. "When was the party supposed to be?"

"Tomorrow night."

"But you knew you were going to be here for three nights." The blonde creased her brows. "Why didn't you just change the date or cancel it sooner?"

Alex scratched her head and averted her eyes. "I was only supposed to be here for two nights."

She shook her head. "I don't understand."

"I decided to stay an extra night," Alex replied in a hushed tone. "I checked with your grandma this morning, and—."

"I'm glad…" Piper smiled affectionately. "For whatever reason you wanted or needed to stay, I'm glad."

Alex's smile was equally soft. "Good."

Celeste rolled in with a cough, interrupting what was shaping up to be a meaningful moment between them.

She put her purse on the counter. "Sorry I'm late. Are you ready to talk about the inn with me, Alex?"

"Sure." She tore her eyes away from Piper, but the blonde recognized the warmth in her eyes.

"I have to run a few more errands before the tree lighting ceremony tonight." She put her glass in the dishwasher. "See you later."

"Bye."

Piper left the inn, feeling almost lightheaded. She wasn't the best judge of when someone liked her, but she was damn near positive that Alex felt _something_ for her and wondered if the reason she'd chosen to stay an additional night had more to do with their budding relationship than business.

* * *

Just before 6 p.m., Piper journeyed back to the inn to find Alex glued to her laptop on the sofa. She was listening to a different Christmas album, tapping her socked foot against the coffee table to the beat of _Santa Claus is Coming to Town_.

"Hi." She removed her coat and scarf, hanging them on the rack next to the door.

Alex turned to face her but remained seated. "Hey. Busy afternoon?"

"Yeah. You?" She sat in the armchair across from Alex, trying not to stare, but that was like trying not to stare at the sun during a solar eclipse—she simply couldn't resist.

"Your grandmother and I had a good conversation. I'm just finishing my notes before I head over to the tree lighting."

She looked surprised. "I didn't think you were going."

"Of course I am." Alex shut her laptop. "I get paid to do touristy stuff—helps with market research. That's one of the reasons I agreed to go sledding."

 _That_ was why Alex had gone sledding? Not to spend more time with her? Piper worried that she'd gotten everything wrong. Maybe Alex _was_ there exclusively for business, and when she mentioned her favorite part about sledding was when they fell in the snow at the end of the run, maybe the brunette meant lying on her back, not being tangled up with Piper.

Her disposition changed instantly. "Then, I guess I'll see you there."

The clock struck six, and suddenly Alex remembered that she'd set Piper up with Larry. "I'm going to go change into something warmer. I'll see you at the park."

Piper lifted her hand in a small wave. "See you."

As Alex made her way upstairs, the doorbell rang. She waited at the top of the staircase to watch what was about to transpire.

"Larry? What are you doing here?"

The man looked confused. "What do you mean? I thought we had plans to walk over to the tree lighting?"

She creased her brow. "Not that I know of."

"But, there was a woman here, a guest of your grandmother's, who told me you wanted to go with me."

Piper paused. "Was her name, Alex?"

"I don't know." He shrugged. "She told me she was from Manhattan. Tall, dark hair, glasses…really pretty."

The blonde lowered her head, and then looked back up at Larry. "You know what, she was right. It must've slipped my mind." She smiled. "Give me a second to let my grandma know I'm leaving, and we'll head out."

"Ok." He looked like he'd just won the lottery.

Piper licked her lips and shook her head at Alex's crafty set up. If the brunette wanted to play games, she could play right along.

"Ready?" She approached Larry, hooking one arm through his bent one. "Let's go."

* * *

As far back as Alex could remember, she'd never been to a Christmas tree lighting ceremony. She didn't think it would be her thing, but she felt the need to get a full sense of how the Essex community celebrated the holidays before drawing up the proposal to buy The Haystack Inn. More than that, she was looking forward to watching Piper squirm as Larry's date. Alex had a hunch that Piper was most definitely _not_ attracted to the man, so it would be interesting to watch her navigate the evening.

She went downstairs and called for Celeste.

"I'm in my room. You're welcome to come in."

The brunette opened the door halfway. "Are you going to the tree lighting?"

"Of course!" She powdered her nose. "Are you?"

"Yeah, I was going to walk there now, but I can wait for you if you want."

Celeste smiled. "That would be nice."

Alex and Celeste walked to the park, and the brunette was amazed at what she saw. There was a group of carolers singing in the gazebo, kids building snowmen at the far side of the lawn, and three-sided tents set up on the perimeter of the park with hot apple cider, baked goods, and a gingerbread house assembly area. There were at least a hundred people in the park, and almost all of them seemed to know each other.

"Celeste, over here!" A woman called. "Would you like to monitor the cider or the gingerbread houses this year?"

"Long time no see." Celeste greeted the other woman with a hug. "I'll take the gingerbread station—I'm not busting teenagers for spiking the cider this year."

The women laughed, and Alex smiled.

"Betty, this is Alex Vause from the Huxley Collection."

"Nice to meet you." Alex shook her gloved hand.

"Please don't turn Celeste's inn into some corporate hotel. We have plenty of those in neighboring towns," Betty said.

"I won't." Alex gave her a tight-lipped smile. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to get some hot chocolate."

The brunette walked around the park with a hot cup of cocoa and spotted Piper near the tree that was set to be lit within the next half hour. Piper turned around and made eye contact with her, and Alex could've sworn there was a flash of excitement on Piper's face if only for a second. Alex smiled at her, but Piper appeared to be in mid-sentence with Larry. He put his hand on the blonde's back as they made their way across the lawn.

"Hi," Piper greeted. "I heard you met Larry yesterday."

"I did." She smirked. "How's your date going?"

"Great," Larry quickly replied. "It's going great."

Piper gave Alex a _two can play at this game_ look, and even though Alex had only known the other woman for a short time, she understood what Piper was conveying with her eyes.

"I told my friend Warren about you," Larry stated. "He'd love to meet you."

Both women turned their attention to him.

"Warren Littlefield?" The blonde asked. "The podiatrist?"

Larry pointed his cup towards the gazebo. "He's right over there."

Alex cleared her throat. "If you're trying to set me up on a romantic encounter, I'm going to have to decline," the dark haired woman said, flicking her eyes Piper's way.

He shook his head as if Alex had misunderstood. "Even if you're only in town for a couple of days, Warren would love to take you around. He'd be an excellent tour guide."

She sipped her hot chocolate, eyes remaining on the woman in front of her. "I think I'll stick with Piper."

"I'm sure she'd be fine, but she's not a local," Larry tried. "Warren has lived here all of his life. He could show you all the nooks and crannies of Essex. He's a great downhill skier, too, if you're into that."

"I'm interested in skiing, just not in men." She grinned.

Piper's eyes became the size of saucers. If the blonde didn't know Alex was gay upon meeting her, Alex left no room for interpretation at that point.

"Oh. I mean, _oh_." Larry ran his hand nervously down the front of his jacket. "I'm a Democrat—super liberal, so that's um…that's fine with me." He eyed Piper as if he needed saving, but the blonde bit her lower lip and tried to hide a smile.

"Ladies and gentlemen, are you ready for the 45th annual lighting of the Essex tree?" A man asked through a megaphone.

The crowd cheered, but Alex and Piper couldn't tear their eyes away from each other as smiles cracked open on both of their faces.

A young girl walked onto the makeshift stage and recited a poem about Santa Claus.

Alex leaned over. "Is there any place in this town that serves hard alcohol?"

Piper nearly choked on her cider. "Yes, the Deerfield Tavern."

She put a hand on the blonde's lower back. "Meet me there in half an hour?"

Piper looked up and nodded. Maybe she hadn't misinterpreted anything after all.

The girl finished reciting her poem, and then the carolers sang _Silent Night_. Despite everyone else's eyes on the stage, Alex had a difficult time keeping hers off of Piper. She was beautiful, _radiant_ even, and seemed to be highly intelligent and thoughtful. Piper knew how to take a joke in stride and had even one-up'd Alex on the whole Larry set-up situation. Alex appreciated a woman who could dish out as well as she could take it. Her smile had enough wattage to power the small city, and her eyes sparkled like twinkle lights.

She glanced around the park and had to admire the spirit of Essex. Families were huddled together, enjoying the festivities, while a group of adults sang Christmas carols, albeit a little out of tune.

After the carolers performed, the crowd counted down from ten to one, and the mayor plugged in the lights on the massive Evergreen. Everyone clapped, hooted and hollered, including Alex. Piper looked up at her, and the way the light danced on her face made Alex want to scoop her up and kiss her right there on the public lawn.

It had been a long time since Alex had been that attracted to another woman. She'd had a series of relationships over the past five years, but none of those women seemed to be well-suited for her. She didn't know if Piper would be a match, but something seemed to be happening between them, and she didn't want to pass up an opportunity to explore what that might be, which was the reason she'd extended her stay. If she'd been asked publically about staying in Essex longer, she'd say it was to "firm up her impressions of the inn and the town."

Alex slipped out of the crowd and asked a police officer where the Deerfield Tavern was. He pointed South, told her to take right on Front Street, and she couldn't miss it at the end of the road.

The tavern was exactly what she'd hoped it would be—rustic log cabin with mounted deer and elk heads around the room and a salty bartender who seemed to have been born for the place.

"What can I get ya?" he asked, wiping the wooden bar top with a rag.

"Whiskey rocks, please." She surveyed the room to find three men at a table in the corner, and a man and a woman playing darts. The jukebox was begging to be played, so she sauntered over to it, inserted a dollar, and chose four country Christmas songs (country seemed to be the only option on their playlist.)

"Garth Brooks?" A recognizable voice came from behind. "Reminds me of high school dances."

Alex turned and grinned. "Were you into country music in your youth?"

Piper's lips tugged up. "I'm still in my youth, but I am not into country music. Never was, except for Dolly Parton—her voice transcends genres."

"How'd you ditch Larry?" She accepted the whiskey from the bartender. "Thank you. Piper, what are you having?" She put a hand on the blonde's arm.

"Um, I'll have a margarita."

"It's the middle of fucking winter, and you're drinking a margarita?" Alex chuckled.

"I like what I like." She shrugged. "What are you drinking?"

"Whiskey." Alex slid the glass towards her. "Try it."

Piper brought the glass to her lips and took a sip. She quickly covered her mouth with the back of her hand. "Sick! How can you drink that stuff?"

"It's delicious." She laughed. "I remember when I started drinking whiskey. I'd met this really hot woman at a bar. We were both pretty wasted and started making out like a couple of teenagers. She tasted like caramel and vanilla and alcohol." Alex smiled at the memory. "I asked her what she'd been drinking, and she handed me her glass. From that day on, I've loved whiskey."

"Maybe I'd like it better in a kiss," Piper boldly stated.

If she'd been even two drinks in, Alex would've kissed her right then and there, but she didn't want to risk a potential slap in the face if Piper wasn't ready. However, she'd put money on Piper being _very_ interested in tasting whiskey, mouth-to-mouth.

The bartender arrived with her drink. "You two starting a tab?"

Alex pulled out a credit card. "Yes."

"Should we toast?" Piper asked.

"We should." She raised her glass. "To The Haystack Inn's past, present and future."

Piper smiled affectionately at the simple toast. "Cheers."

They sipped their drinks and made their way to a table next to a pellet stove as the song changed to Faith Hill's, _Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas_.

The brunette removed her scarf. "Did you come here a lot when you were in town?"

Piper shook her head. "I've only been to the tavern two other times, both within the last year. We never left the Square much when we came up for the holidays."

Alex glanced around the room again, noticing several pairs of skis and snowshoes hanging on the far wall. "It's exactly the kind of bar a town like this should have." She took a sip of whiskey. "So, did your family spend every Christmas at the inn?"

"Pretty much, yeah." Piper leaned back.

"Were all the traditions the same as they are now?"

She nodded. "I remember winning the cookie contest when I was 15. That was back when you had to bake your own cookies—now it's just cookie decorating." She took a long sip of her drink. "One of the contestants, Mrs. Hatch, the only mean woman in the entire town of Essex, accused me of cheating."

"What?" Alex chuckled.

"She claimed that I'd used my grandma's recipe for chocolate molasses cookies." Piper shook her head. "My grandmother didn't even _make_ chocolate molasses cookies!"

"Did you set her straight?"

"I did," Piper said with a mischievous grin that turned a bit sour upon further reflection. "Mrs. Hatch died the next year, so I shouldn't talk too much trash about her."

The brunette smiled. "I read that your grandmother hosted the cookie decorating contest. Will she do it this year?"

"Fuck." Piper slapped the table. "That's tomorrow!"

"Let me guess: _you're_ hosting it?"

"My grandma will be there, but she can't run the show." She put her palm on her forehead. "I was supposed to get all of the supplies today."

The brunette shrugged. "I can help you tomorrow."

"Really?"

"Yeah." She swirled the whiskey in her glass. "I have a little work to do in the morning, but I should be free by 10 or 11."

"That would be a huge help." She laid her hand on top of Alex's and their eyes met.

"Ready for another?" the brunette asked, downing the last swig of whiskey.

"Sure. Thank you." She slid the empty glass across the table.

Alex approached the bar, ordered two more drinks, and walked over to the jukebox, which had gone silent after the four songs she'd played earlier. "Any requests?"

Piper met her at the jukebox and leaned over to view the CD covers. Alex moved halfway behind her and rested her hands on the edge of the jukebox, effectively trapping Piper against it. The blonde turned her head slightly to the right and gave her the tiniest smile. If Alex moved her head two inches more, their lips would touch. Piper turned back to the music selection.

"Let's stick with Christmas," the blonde said. "Conway Twitty?"

"Conway Twitty? You're making that up—he doesn't have a Christmas album." Alex laughed.

Piper pointed at the screen, eyebrows raised.

"Wow, I stand corrected." She nudged her glasses. "How about Elvis?"

"I thought there was only country?" The blonde looked closer at the jukebox. "Well, I guess some of Elvis's albums could count as alt-country."

"I must've missed it the first time, which I believe, was when you walked in." She inserted three dollars. "Wanna play the whole album?"

Piper nodded, and then turned around. If Alex had kept her hands on the edge of the jukebox, she'd have squished Piper against it, so she removed her hands but didn't take a step back. Piper's cheeks were flushed, and Alex didn't know if it was due to the temperature of the room or their proximity. Piper removed her wool hat, and strands of blonde hair stuck straight up with static.

"Whoa." Alex smiled and brought her hands up to Piper's head to smooth her hair. "Don't touch anything metal right now—you'd get shocked from all the static."

The blonde brought her own hands to the top of her head. Their fingers tangled, and the women grinned at each other. Alex dropped her hands to Piper's shoulders and slowly lowered them down the backs of her arms, while Piper's eyes locked with hers, blinking only once.

"Drinks are ready, ladies," the bartender called, making Piper flinch at the interruption and pull away.

The brunette nudged her glasses and grabbed their cocktails, but the moment they'd shared wasn't lost on her. Elvis' version of _White Christmas_ rang through the speakers as the women returned to their seats.

Piper took a sip and blanched. "This one's stronger than the last."

"It'll weaken once the ice melts a little." Alex sipped her whiskey. "Tell me about your job in Hartford."

"By the time I was a junior in college, I knew I wanted to write for a living, but I didn't think fiction or journalism was the route I wanted to pursue." She sipped her drink. "I interned at an ad agency the summer going into senior year, which was when I discovered copy writing for ads and stuff."

"Like, jingles?" Alex tossed back another sip of Crown. " _Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a relief it is_ …that sort of thing?"

The blonde leaned forward. "Did you know that Juliana Margulies' father wrote that jingle?"

She let out a short laugh. "Carol from _ER_?"

"Or Alicia from _The Good Wife_ , yeah." Piper played with the straw in her glass.

"She's hot." Alex made little circles with her glass on the table.

"I agree, she's very pretty." Piper sipped her drink. "Anyway, we write jingles, sure, but it's more like simple descriptions or taglines for companies and products."

"Give me an example."

Piper rapped her fingertips against the table as she tried to think of an example. "We have a local trampoline company in West Hartford, which no one on my team really wanted to work on, so in a brainstorming session, I came up with the tagline, 'So much fun, you'll flip'."

"Seriously? That's kind of brilliant." She smiled, sipping her drink.

"Thanks." Piper took a swig of margarita. "I don't have any of my own accounts, technically, but I support the two copy writers. We're all part of the Creative Team."

"With ideas like that, you'll be head of the division in no time."

She shooed the compliment the flick of her wrist. "I'm not sure about head of the division, but I'd like the get the word, 'junior' removed from my title."

"Tell me about it." Alex swirled her drink. "When I first started, I didn't have the word junior in my title, but it was clear to people in the business that anyone without the words 'associate,' 'senior,' or 'executive,' in your title, was a nobody."

Piper leaned back again. "You had growing pains when you first started at the Huxley Collection?"

"Are you kidding? I was your basic paper-pusher for the first year. It wasn't until one of the associates went on maternity leave when I had the opportunity to prove myself." She bent her elbow over the back of her chair. "I'll never forget my first trip—it was to Ashville, North Carolina at this roadside motel. It was a real shit hole, but my company wanted the property."

"So what did you do?"

She shrugged. "I bargained with the motel owners and saved my company $30,000."

Piper finished her drink. "Wouldn't that mean that you paid them _less_ for their property?"

"We promised not to talk about business, but feel free to tell me more about your famous jingles." She grinned, hoping that she deterred Piper from reading too much into what she'd confessed.

"I think I'm done." She pushed her glass forward.

Alex took the last swig of whiskey. "Wanna get out of here?"

"Yeah." Piper smiled. "I do."

* * *

Piper was dizzy in the best way, and it had little to do with the alcohol and everything to do with Alex. They'd shared a series of ups and downs over the past two days, but the majority of their time together had been magical. Even though they'd only touched a few times, Piper's heart felt like it would explode right out of her chest every time Alex's fingers landed on her body. No one had ever made her feel that way, and it was one part exciting and one part frightening.

She couldn't stop herself from worrying about getting too close to 'the enemy' and hoped that Alex was sincere and not trying to pull a fast one on her so she'd acquiesce and convince her grandma to sell the inn without second guessing herself.

Alex walked beside her and admired the Christmas lights on the houses and business on Front Street. "You never told me how you ditched Larry."

Piper snorted. "I told him I was meeting someone for a drink."

"That was it?"

She smiled. "I also told him that we _weren't_ on a date tonight, and that I enjoyed his friendship, but it would never be more than that."

Alex pulled her head back. "You said that?"

She nodded. "I don't want to play games with him. This has been going on for _years_ , and he just keeps hanging on to hope that one day, I'll change my mind."

"You sure you won't?" The brunette bumped her shoulder against Piper's.

Piper looked up at her. "Positive."

They walked in silence along Front Street until the blonde stopped in front of the only house on the block that wasn't all lit up with Christmas lights. The only outward sign of the holiday season was the electric, flickering candles in each of the forward-facing windows.

"That's my grandparents' place," Piper noted. "My father grew up in this house."

Alex stopped and regarded the old home. "Really? Does your grandmother still own it?"

The blonde nodded. "She moved into the inn when it became too much trouble to walk a couple of blocks in the winter."

"It's a beautiful home." Alex put her hand on the white picket fence. "I'm sorry she isn't healthy enough to stay here or to decorate for Christmas."

"Please don't mention decorations to her," Piper pleaded with a slight smile. "She's brought it up since Thanksgiving, and I know she wants me to hang lights along the porch, but I don't have the time or the energy," she sighed. "Besides, she doesn't pass this way very often, so for all my grandma knows, it's all lit up."

The brunette let out a soft chuckle. "I doubt you'd be able to pull a fast one on Celeste—she's far too savvy for that."

Piper resumed walking. "You're probably right."

Alex joined her and looked up at the night sky. "It's so quiet here. No airplanes flying above, no sirens, no honking horns. It's like the rest of the world doesn't exist."

"Mmm," she let out a sound of agreement. "I love it when I'm here, but I don't know if I could live in a place without at least a little action."

"Yeah, I know what you mean." Alex sat on the steps leading to the inn. "Mind if we sit here for a while?"

Piper sat next to her, legs outstretched, touching Alex's thighs. Once again, the mere touch sent shivers throughout her body.

Alex breathed out a visible puff of cold air. "I don't know if I've ever seen stars like this."

"There's the big dipper." She craned her head back as she gazed at the sky, unintentionally leaning into the other woman. "And that's Orion."

"There's the moon," Alex mentioned in all seriousness until her face cracked into a wide smile.

"Wow, thanks for pointing that out. I never would've known." The blonde grinned, jabbing her in the ribs with her elbow. "Oh, there's Cassiopeia." She pointed to the West. "Do you know the story of Cassiopeia?"

Alex shook her head. "Mm mm."

Piper's body was now perpendicular to Alex's, and the brunette's arm wrapped around her midsection, fingers dangling on Piper's leg.

"In Greek mythology, Cassiopeia was a vain queen who bragged about her beauty. Unlike the other figures being placed in the sky in _honor_ , Cassiopeia was forced there as punishment." Piper wrapped an arm around Alex's knee as she continued, almost unaware that she'd done so. "As the story goes, Cassiopeia boasted that she was more beautiful than the sea nymphs, which was a big no-no according to the gods, and she was banned to the sky for all to gawk at."

"So, she's the hottie constellation?"

The blonde snorted. "According to _her_ , yeah."

Alex yawned, and Piper felt the movement of her body. She looked up at the brunette. "Getting sleepy?"

"I guess, but I'm not ready for this night to end," she confessed.

"I have an idea." The blonde stood abruptly, and reached for the other woman.

Alex grabbed her hand, pulling herself to her feet. "Do you always get that look in your eye when you have something up your sleeve?"

"What look?"

She held the door open for Piper. "Your eyes sort of twinkle, like when you asked me to go sledding this morning."

"Huh, I never noticed." She stepped inside and put a finger across her lips, signaling that they should enter the inn quietly. "I'm sure my grandma's asleep, but let me check." The blonde walked quietly to Celeste's room and noticed that the light was out. She padded back into the lobby, taking Alex by the wrist and heading into the kitchen.

"Are you planning to kidnap me?" she asked with a slight laugh.

The blonde turned to face her companion. "I want to bake."

Alex lifted her eyebrows. "At midnight?"

"Who cares what time it is." She spun around and began hunting for baking products. "You're the one who said it was a shame I haven't baked in so long."

The brunette put her hands on her hips. "Do you even have all of the ingredients?"

"We'll soon find out." She pointed to a cabinet. "Will you grab the flour and sugar? See if there's any pumpkin pie filling in there, too."

Alex did as she was told. "There's a can—wait, two cans of pumpkin puree."

"Perfect." She popped up from behind the island with a round pan.

"Does this thing work?" Alex pressed a few buttons on the under-the-counter CD player and it came to life, playing _There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays_. "Is that Dean Martin?"

"Perry Como," the blonde announced, measuring flour in a cup. "Did you know that he didn't start speaking English until he went to school? His family only spoke Italian."

"How do you come up with this stuff?" Alex chuckled, pulling down two glasses from a high shelf.

"His real name was Pierino, and he was one of ten kids," the blonde continued.

"If I ever play bar trivia, I want you on my team." She searched two cabinets until she found what she was looking for. "Ah ha." Alex held up a bottle of Bourbon.

"Gross." Piper poured water into a big bowl and sifted the flour into it. "Anything else in there?"

Alex got on her tip toes. "You're in luck: a bottle of Svedka."

She added a pinch of salt to the mixture. "I'm sure there's some juice in the fridge."

"Are you making this from memory?" Alex pulled out a carton of orange juice and one of cranberry juice.

She nodded. "It's like riding a bike." As Piper began forming the dough, she'd forgotten how much she enjoyed baking.

Alex whipped together a vodka-based cocktail for the blonde, and then poured herself two shots of Jim Beam over ice. "Try this." She lifted the mixed drink to Piper's mouth.

"Mmm. Perfect." She licked her lips. "I'll mix everything if you keep giving me sips of booze."

"Deal." Alex placed a hand on the blonde's upper back as she gave her another sip.

The next Christmas song came on as Piper set the oven to 350 degrees. "So how did you get to do what you do for a living?"

"I sort of fell into it," she began around a sip of Bourbon. "I never went to college, but I always had a job, and I'd meet people who often helped me land my next gig."

Piper sprinkled flour on the granite, and then laid the ball of dough on the surface. "Help me kneed this." She showed the brunette how to work the dough, hands on top of hands, both women smiling. "Got it?"

"I think so." The dark haired woman grinned.

"You were saying?"

"I dated a woman who worked for the Huxley Collection, and she thought I'd be perfect for the company, so I went in for an interview a couple months later, and here I am."

"Sounds like it was meant to be." Piper rolled out the dough, and then took a sip of her drink. "Your hands are full of flour now. Want some?" She lifted the glass to Alex's lips.

"Thanks." A drop dribbled down Alex's chin, and she tossed her head back as if trying to stop it from falling without using her dirty hands.

Piper swiped it with a finger, and then popped it into her mouth. "I like this stuff better than what you were drinking at the bar."

"Bourbon is sweeter." She grinned. "Tastes equally good in a kiss."

Piper blinked up at her. "I'd like to try that some time."

"Some time like now?"

Her heart raced and she gulped as Alex leaned closer, lips inches apart. Before she knew it, Alex was kissing her. Her lips were soft and full and she tasted exactly as Piper had imagined—like vanilla and caramel. Her body swirled with desire, but the kiss only lasted a matter of seconds.

"Well?" Alex smiled.

"You're right—much better in a kiss." Piper put a hand on the back of Alex's neck, pulling her in for another kiss, and the brunette's hands cupped Piper's face. She could feel the flour and dough on her cheeks and smiled into the kiss.

"My hands?" Alex guessed.

"Mmm hmm," she laughed, mouths still fused together.

Alex spun them around until Piper's butt was backed against the island counter, and their hands began journeying to other parts of each other's bodies. Piper moved hers to Alex's upper back, and the brunette's ventured to Piper's ass. They changed angles, and it was as if their mouths were made for each other.

The oven beeped, signaling that it had reached 350 degrees, and the women pulled back, foreheads resting together, breathing slightly elevated.

"How is it that I've known you for 48 hours, yet I feel like I've known you my whole life?" Piper whispered.

She shook her head and replied in an equally soft tone. "I don't know."

They kissed much more gently this time before backing away. Alex ran a hand through her hair, leaving a white streak of flour in her dark locks. Piper laughed, and the brunette looked at her sticky hands. They caught their reflection in the mirror on the far wall and snickered at the flour and dough on their clothes and in their hair.

"If anyone walked in here right now, it would be blatantly obvious what we were doing," the blonde noted.

"I'll wipe your back off." She handed Piper a damp paper towel to wipe her face, and Alex brushed off her back.

"I'd really like to get back to the whole kissing thing as soon as humanly possible," Piper stated. "But I have to make the pie filling. You can stretch the dough into the pan."

She washed her hands, and then placed the dough inside the round pan, getting a little help from Piper when it came to pinching the edges. Their fingers overlapped on the perimeter of the pan, and both women grinned stupidly at the other.

"You were telling me about the woman you were dating," Piper reminded her, trying to keep her mind off of kissing Alex for the time being. "Was she your boss?"

Now that their first kiss was out of the way, the blonde hoped it would be easier to give into the temptation to touch or kiss Alex whenever she felt like it.

"No, she was never my boss," Alex picked up from where she'd left off. "She moved to London a couple of months after I got the job, and we just sort of fizzled out."

Piper grated ginger into the pie mixture. "Have you always dated women?"

"My whole adult life, yes." Alex took another sip of Jim Beam and wagged her eyebrows.

"So what, I'm like Pavlov's dog now?" Piper grinned. "Every time you take a sip of Bourbon, I kiss you?"

She pushed her glasses higher with her index finger. "I'd be ok with that."

"Would you?" Piper strung her arms around Alex's neck and leaned in, brushing her lips lightly against Alex's.

"I'm telling you, after tonight, you're going to become a whiskey drinker." Alex gave her a peck on the lips before peeking at the crust in the oven, which was starting to smell delicious.

Piper released the brunette and sprinkled a dash of nutmeg into the mixture. "I'd rather just suck it off of your tongue."

Alex scrunched up her face and laughed. "When you put it like that, it sounds gross."

"It does, doesn't it?" She pulled out the pie crust and scooped the filling into it. "Ok, now it has to bake for about 30 minutes." She shoved it into the oven and set the timer.

Alex sashayed over to the blonde. "What are we going to do to kill the time?"

"Let's go for a walk out back."

Alex looked at her as if she'd grown three heads. "I was thinking more along the lines of figuring out which parts of your body are more sensitive than others." The brunette placed a kiss behind Piper's ear. "Like this area, for instance."

"I know." Piper grinned. "My idea is way better."


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: Happy early Christmas to anyone who is enjoying this story. Found some time tonight to post.

 **Rated M for Mature**

* * *

The women put on their coats, gloves and hats, and Alex complained the whole time. The last thing she wanted was to go outside, where she was sure the temperature had dropped considerably.

Piper took her hand and marched past the two guest cottages, the barn and finally the trout pond.

"Are you really the Green River Killer, taking me out back end my life?" she whisper-yelled.

"There's no Green River in Vermont," Piper replied, tugging her closer. "And if I wanted to kill you, I'd withhold sex for the remainder of your time here."

"That would certainly do it." Alex smirked, delighted to know that they'd likely have sex within the next 24 hours.

"We're almost there," the blonde whispered. She stopped about 20 feet into the forest and looked up. "Here it is."

Alex followed her gaze. "A treehouse?"

"I built it." She pushed off of Alex's shoulder to reach the first step. "Technically, my brothers and I built it." She climbed the five steps and reached a hand down to the brunette. "When I wanted to escape from my family for a few hours, I'd come up here, even in the winter."

"You want me to go up there with you?" She raised her eyebrows. Alex had never been in a treehouse in her entire life, and truth be told, she still had no desire to see what the inside of one looked like.

"It's strong enough to hold both of us. Promise." Piper reached her hand further down, and Alex took it until she found her footing.

"This town has so many unique places that we could go, and you've taken me to your childhood hideout?" she complained once she was fully inside.

Piper pulled her close, and maneuvered between the brunette's legs, back resting on her chest. She brought Alex's arms around her body for warmth as they snuggled 30 feet off the ground.

"Cool isn't it?"

"Cold is more like it."

Piper looked upside down at her with a scowl.

"Alright, I can see why you liked it up here," Alex tried, looking through one of the windows at the snowy branches surrounding the treehouse. She had to admit, it _was_ pretty cool.

Piper tilted her head back again, and Alex leaned over her until their lips met. They kissed in that position until the brunette moved Piper next to her. Their lips remained fused together as they laid side by side in the small space.

"Warmer?" the blonde questioned.

"Yeah." She kissed her again. "But too many layers of clothing between us."

"I don't think you want to strip down to nothing in the snowy forest," Piper responded between nips and licks.

Alex smiled against her lips. "Don't tempt me."

"Did you ever makeout in here when you were younger?" Alex slipped a hand under the blonde's coat, but she still couldn't find bare skin, which she _desperately_ wanted to touch.

"As a matter of fact, I did." She cradled Alex's face, deepening their already fervent kiss. "With a girl."

Alex jutted her head back. "What?!"

"She was the first girl I ever kissed: Chrissie Zemeckis." Piper brushed a strand of dark hair behind Alex's ear.

"Did her father happen to be Robert?"

Piper grinned. "Yes."

"No fucking way!" She laughed with amazement. "You made out with Robert Zemeckis' _daughter_?"

She nodded. "Their family used to stay at the inn every summer for like ten years, and Chrissie and I messed around the last summer she was here. I think I was 15."

"That's kind of hot," Alex admitted, resuming their kiss.

Between kisses, Piper told her about other adventures in the treehouse, mostly having to do with her brothers and the kids who lived nearby. Alex was mildly interested in her stories, but when it came down to it, she wanted the blonde's lips to be occupied in ways other than talking.

They rolled around on the unforgiving surface when suddenly an alarm sounded.

"Fuck!" Piper shot up. "The pie!"

The women scurried down the wooden steps, Piper falling on the last rung and ripping a hole in her jeans on a nail. The lights in two rooms went on in the main house, and Alex wondered if one of them was Celeste's.

"Hurry up!" Piper called as Alex trailed behind.

"I hope I didn't just step in horse shit," Alex said breathlessly as she tried looking at the bottom of her boot.

"Who cares about horse shit right now?!" Piper yanked her by the arm as they jogged the final few feet to the main house. She swung the back door open and walked into the kitchen to find a billow of smoke coming out of the oven. Alex stepped inside and noticed the couple from Toronto in the doorway.

"What on earth is going on in here?" Celeste asked, horror etched on her face.

The blonde pulled out the pie and swatted the smoky air. "I am _so_ sorry. We were baking a pie and left it in too long."

"Obviously," the man said, tightening his robe and coughing.

"Where have you two been?" Celeste eyed both women up and down with a judgmental expression. "Piper, your jeans are ripped. Alex, your hair is…" The grandmother was so dismayed; she couldn't even finish her sentence.

The brunette tried taming her hair with her fingertips, but then quickly wondered if Celeste was referring to how messy it was or the fact that there were still streaks of flour in it. "We were on a walk, and Piper wanted to show me the old treehouse."

"At 2:30 in the morning?!" Celeste asked incredulously.

"Yes?" Alex ventured, and she knew there was no recovering from the way things looked.

Piper and Alex's eyes met, knowing they'd royally fucked things up, but the brunette's lips slowly turned up as the male guest went on a tirade about being woken up in the middle of the night. Piper's smile formed just as slowly, and she had to turn around for fear of being chastised for thinking the matter was funny.

"We are terribly sorry about this, Mr. and Mrs. Reed," Celeste said, breaking into a cough.

Piper shot Alex a helpless look as she was opening the kitchen windows, so Alex filled a glass with water and handed it to Mrs. Chapman.

"It's completely unacceptable," the man replied.

Once Celeste's coughing fit died down, she continued. "I'll take tonight's stay off your bill."

"No," Alex piped in.

All eyes were on her.

"What?" Piper and her grandmother asked simultaneously.

"The inn is in dire straits, and losing even $300 is going to look bad in the books." She returned her gaze to the couple. "Mr. and Mrs. Reed, I am _really_ sorry about this incident. We're going to send you home with a freshly baked pumpkin pie and all the Christmas cookies you can eat, but we can't comp tonight's stay."

She felt Piper's stare and wondered if she'd completely overstepped.

"Alex is right." The blonde stood next to her. "This is my fault. We can give you a 50% off voucher for your next stay of three or more nights, too."

The wife looked at her husband. "That sounds like a fair deal, honey."

"Let me walk you back to your room, and we can discuss breakfast tomorrow." Alex gave Piper a relieved look. "What do you prefer, French toast or pancakes?"

They left the kitchen with Celeste's mouth hanging open.

* * *

"Piper Elizabeth Chapman, what in the _hell_ just happened?" Celeste crossed her arms.

"I'm sorry, grandma," she tried. "Everything we told you is the truth."

"Why would you decide to bake a pie after midnight?" She turned on the vent above the stove.

"I hadn't baked in years, and Alex and I were talking about how much I missed it." She realized that she was still in her coat, hat and gloves, so she removed the outerwear. "I got a bug up my sleeve, and decided to make a pumpkin pie when we got back."

"Got back from where?"

"The tavern," Piper sheepishly replied. It didn't matter that she was in her mid-20s—getting in trouble with her grandma never felt good. "I'm not drunk if that's what you're worried about."

Celeste shook her head, and Alex returned to the kitchen.

"They're going to be fine," the brunette announced, removing her coat and hanging it in the back room.

"What gives you the right to tell me how to run my business?" Celeste asked. "Your company hasn't purchased it yet!"

"I could've let you lose $300. No skin off my back." She shrugged and folded her arms. "Now I realize why the books are so off—you comp rooms as the wind blows."

Celeste stared her down. "That's called good business."

The brunette stood her ground. "No, it's not. It's actually _bad_ business."

"It is _really_ late," Piper chimed in, becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the conversation. "Alex and I will clean up the mess we made, and we'll talk in the morning."

"We'll go over the books tomorrow, Celeste." She touched the older woman on the shoulder. "I'm not trying to be the bad guy here—I want you to have a successful business, even if it's only for another couple of months."

Piper walked her grandmother to her room. "Get some sleep, grandma. I love you." She kissed her on the forehead.

"We'll discuss this further in the morning."

The blonde went back into the kitchen and stood in the doorway, watching Alex scrape the pie into the garbage can. The brunette's face opened into a full smile, and both women began to laugh so hard that they were doubled over.

Piper walked over to her companion, continuing to laugh, as they hugged in front of the oven.

"That was a fucking disaster," Alex breathed through the painful laugh.

"Was it ever!" Piper dabbed her sleeve into the corner of her eye, where a tear of laughter had surfaced.

The brunette ran a hand down the back of Piper's head as their amusement subsided. "Note to self: do not make out with Piper when she's baking."

"We can make out while I bake; we just can't leave the kitchen." The blonde broke away from her and shut the window.

Alex nodded and flipped her lips upside down. "Seems logical."

"I take it the pie wasn't salvageable?" Piper asked, looking into the garbage at the burnt crust.

"Not even remotely." She grabbed the Bourbon she'd abandoned before their escapade and took a sip. "Here's to harebrained adventures."

Piper picked up her glass of watered-down vodka. "I'll drink to that." She sat on the stool next to the island, shoulders slumped. "I've never seen my grandma comp a room before."

"I probably should've kept my mouth shut," the brunette offered. "I just hate when people get taken advantage of because they're too nice."

"I know it's not good for business, but she just wants to be liked and respected," Piper said.

"There are other ways of doing that, and I'm sure she was both liked and respected her entire career." Alex finished her drink. "Your voucher idea was the perfect call—it entices the couple to come back to the inn for at least three nights. It's a win-win situation."

"Thanks."

Alex stood between her legs, leaned down and softly kissed her.

Piper smiled. "Mmm, you still taste good."

She tucked a piece of hair behind Piper's ear. "We should probably go to bed."

"The sun will be up in three hours." The blonde yawned.

"Three hours of sleep is better than none."

A lightbulb went off in Piper's head. "Let's stay up all night."

"Seriously?" Alex creased her forehead, and then one eyebrow lifted ever so slowly. "And what do you suggest we do in the wee hours of the morning?"

"Not _that_ ," Piper replied, pushing her away. "A baking do-over."

"You can't _possibly_ be serious," the brunette groaned, dropping her hands that were previously inching up Piper's hips.

"The Sugar House has a full kitchen!" She clapped her hands. "You said that we had one more can of pumpkin puree, right?" She reached into the cupboard to grab it, holding it up with the jar of sugar. "We can do this. Besides, didn't you promise the Reed's a freshly baked pumpkin pie to take home?"

Alex rubbed her temples and sighed.

Piper stuffed a few ingredients into a bag. "Help me gather everything, and we're going to bake again, this time with 100% success guaranteed."

Alex threw the measuring cup into the bag. "How do you figure that?"

The blonde lifted her shoulders. "Easy: no touching while the pie is in the oven."

"Uh uh. No deal." She shook her head. "If I'm staying up all night with you, there's a 100% chance that there will be touching."

"Thirty minutes: that's all we need to ensure the perfect pie." Piper kissed her on the cheek. "I'll make it worth your while."

She raised a singular brow. "Promise?"

"Promise."

The two ventured out under the dark night's sky and quietly entered the Sugar House. Alex found a Christmas music station on the television while Piper prepped things in the kitchen.

"Why didn't we think of this earlier?" the brunette asked, wrapping her arms around Piper from behind.

"Beats me." She tilted her head to the left, giving Alex plenty of skin to work with. "Don't give me a hickey."

"I won't."

Piper got the dough to the perfect consistency, but she was finding it increasingly difficult to concentrate as Alex's hands crept under her sweater and onto her stomach. She'd been aching for skin-to-skin contact, and now that the brunette's hands were on her flesh, she knew it would be impossible to focus.

"Your hands are warm," she said, leveling out the dough with a rolling pin.

That only increased Alex's ministrations. She brushed the hair off Piper's shoulders and kissed the other side of her neck, fingertips dangerously close to her breasts under the sweater.

The blonde stepped to the side to begin working on the pie filling, and an undeterred Alex moved with her.

Piper closed her eyes for a moment at the sensation of Alex's mouth on her ear. "That feels really good."

"Can you stop working for a minute?" she whispered.

"I'm almost done." Piper tried to power through, and then Alex's hands covered her breasts.

She couldn't take it any longer; she turned in the brunette's arms and ravaged her. Their lips fused together and tongues explored every centimeter of each other's mouths.

"You're so soft," Alex mumbled against her lips and raised the blonde's sweater over her head. She made quick work on Piper's bra's hook, releasing her breasts and staring at them before plunging down with her mouth.

Piper's head fell back as she held Alex's head in her hands and slammed her eyes shut. Alex's warm breath on the blonde's nipple sent her into overdrive, and she could feel wetness pool between her legs.

"Want me to stop?" Alex asked with what Piper was _sure_ was a severe smirk on her face.

"The pie isn't in the oven yet, so I guess this is fair," she breathed, running her fingers through dark hair.

The brunette released the left nipple from her mouth and moved to the right, while her hand cupped Piper's center through her jeans. Piper bucked into her and moaned. That was all it took before Alex shoved her hand down the front of the blonde's jeans and roughly grabbed her.

"Ungh." Piper bucked into her again, using her own hands to unzip her jeans, giving Alex free access to her center.

"Wet?" Alex drug a finger from her opening to her clit several times.

"You tell me." Her hands returned to tangle in Alex's hair as their lips glued together.

The brunette pulled back, shoving her fingers into her mouth and tasting Piper's juices. She gave Piper a look before helping her onto the counter and dropping to her knees. The blonde moved the pie fixings as far to the side as she could and leaned back on the granite until her fingers wrapped around the back edge of the counter. Alex scooted Piper's hips closer and then dove in with her mouth.

"This is much better than pie," the brunette said between long licks.

"Fuck, Alex!" One hand flew to the back of her dark hair as she watched Alex go down on her. "That's…right there."

Although it was hard to keep her balance, Piper managed to stay upright until Alex's fingers entered her opening, while her tongue danced on her clit. She gave up and laid completely on her back while Alex had her way with her. Piper desperately wanted to watch the brunette's movement, so she put her hands behind her head and crunched so that she had a good view. Alex looked up at her, then reached for Piper's stomach with her free hand, rubbing the tight muscles of her abdomen.

"You're so fucking sexy," she said between licks. "You were killing me today in your running clothes."

"I know," Piper panted through a smile.

"I figured as much." She pointed her tongue and concentrated on Piper's sensitive bud.

"I'm so close, Al…" Her eyes squeezed shut and her body quivered with several waves of a powerful orgasm. " _Ohmygod, Alex_!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. "Don't stop, ohmygod." And Alex didn't stop, she pumped her two fingers harder and licked Piper's clit with great finesse until Piper came down from an intense orgasm.

"Wow." The blonde lifted her arm onto her forehead and waited for her breathing to return to normal. "That was incredible."

" _You're_ incredible." Alex kissed her way up Piper's body, grinning the whole way. "And I don't just mean the sex."

"That's a nice thing to say." Piper grabbed the brunette's hand and pulled herself into a seated position. She used both hands to brush Alex's hair out of her now sweaty face.

"I mean it." She punctuated her statement with raised eyebrows.

Piper leaned forward to kiss her softly on the mouth, two fingers under Alex's chin.

Alex looked to her right. "Did we save the pie?"

"I'm not sure." Piper was thankful that she'd had enough self-control to push the pie stuff aside before things got too out of hand. "But I think we should move to a place where there's no chance of sexing the pie."

" _Sexing_ it?" The brunette giggled. "Is that a real word?"

She hopped off the counter. "What would you call it if there was actual sex drippings in a pie?"

"Gross!" She laughed.

Piper's smile faded as she kissed a trail up Alex's neck. "Can I do you?"

"You don't have to ask." The brunette kissed Piper's wrist.

"Let's go to another room." She tugged Alex into one of the two bedrooms. "This was my room growing up."

"Was it?"

She turned on the lamp. "I used to sleep in here, and my parents slept in the other room. My brothers either slept on the sleeper sofa or on air mattresses until they outgrew the space." She reached for Alex, pulling her onto the double bed. "They were allowed to move to the main house when Danny was 16."

"At least you had your own bedroom." She kissed her soundly. "Did you make out with Chrissie Zemeckis in this room, too?"

Piper giggled against her mouth. "No, only in the treehouse and behind the bushes by the café."

"Ah." Alex ran her tongue down Piper's neck. "So I'm your first in here?"

"You're my first _ever_."

The brunette drew back. "You've never had sex before?"

"With a man, I have," she replied bashfully. "But never with a woman."

Alex grinned. "Alright, well, I'll coach you through it."

As Piper kissed every inch of flesh that she could reach, she lifted Alex's shirt, while the brunette took off her pants. She tentatively touched Alex's breasts, which felt amazing against the palms of her hands, until she gained enough confidence to trail one hand down to her center. As soon as Piper touched her there, Alex's hips lifted off the bed. The blonde smiled at her reaction and figured she must've been doing something right. Piper's smile faded into a lusty look as she drug two fingers up and down Alex's slit.

"That feels good," the brunette moaned.

Piper wiggled her way down Alex's body, kissing the beauty mark on her stomach before hovering over her center. She lowered her head, taking in the scent of the other woman before sticking her tongue out to explore her folds. The blonde realized that she'd need to use her fingers to open Alex's pussy, so she used her thumb and forefinger to expose her most intimate part. Piper once again stuck her tongue onto pink flesh, getting another welcome reaction from Alex.

The dark haired woman's hips raised off the bed again. "That's it. Right there."

Piper's confidence grew tenfold with Alex's encouragement, and she wasted no time going down fully on Alex and didn't stop until the brunette had two orgasms in a row.

"I guess you didn't need much coaching," Alex panted.

"It was pretty obvious what you liked," Piper replied, wiping her glistening mouth with the back of her arm.

That was followed by Alex making Piper cum with her fingers until the sun was about to rise.

"I want to show you something," Piper said as she snuggled against Alex's chest, sheets kicked off the bed long before Piper's second orgasm.

Alex shook her head. "I'm not going back to your treehouse, babe."

"It's not that." She sat up. "I promise—this will be worth it."

The brunette rolled her eyes, but followed Piper out of the bedroom, putting on clothing along the way. "How clothed do I need to be?" She asked with one sock in her hand.

"Fully." Piper glanced at the pie. "Shit, I guess this one's ruined, too."

"Why?" Alex put her shoes on. "Looks good to me."

"It's been sitting out for an hour."

"I don't think that matters." She moved to where Piper was pouting, wrapping her arms around her midsection.

Piper turned in her arms. "I don't think we should give the Reed's a sexed up pie."

Alex snorted. "No?"

"Mm mm." She shook her head.

"Fine then," Alex sighed. "I'm going to buy them one in town tomorrow, I mean _today_ , and tell them it's homemade. They'll never know the difference."

Piper finished getting dressed, and then drug Alex outside for the third time that night. The sun hadn't risen yet, but the sky had lightened considerably. She took Alex by the hand and entered the barn.

"As much as I love horses, I'm in no condition to go riding this morning," the brunette protested.

"We're not going riding. Follow me." Piper walked to the far end of the barn and climbed two sets of rickety stairs. The barn loft was mostly empty, save for a couple bales of hay and two thick blankets. "They're still here." She smiled, grabbing the blankets and handing one to Alex.

"What are we doing up here, Piper?"

"Look." The blonde pointed out the open barn window, and there in front of them was the sun peeking over the mountains and the town of Essex down below.

"Wow," Alex's breath hitched in her throat.

Piper sat on one of the bales of hay, wrapping the blanket around her shoulders and inviting Alex to join her. The brunette sat next to her, tossing her blanket over their laps. The women held hands as they watched a glorious sunrise. There were a few birds chirping, braving the cold winter morning, and the sound of a flock of ducks flying overhead. All of the roofs below were covered with snow, and the higher the sun rose, the more blinding the snow became. The air was crisp and dry, and Piper was convinced it was going to be a beautiful day.

Alex smiled reverently. "I've never seen anything like this."

"It's pretty special," Piper whispered. "I've only seen it in the summer a handful of times. I think it's even more beautiful this time of the year."

Alex lifted the blonde's hand and kissed it. "Thank you for sharing this with me."

"You're welcome." She leaned over for a kiss, which grew more passionate as the sun rose higher.

Piper made her way down Alex's body and somehow found a way to go down on her without scratching Alex's ass with hay and keeping her jeans mostly intact. She looked up just before Alex came and watched the brunette alternating between admiring the sunrise and what Piper was doing to her.

"That was a nice surprise," Alex replied after a healthy orgasm. "Probably a once in a lifetime experience."

"Glad I could be the one to give it to you." She smiled, wiping her mouth on the blanket before standing and helping Alex to her feet. "We better clean up the Sugar House, and then make our way inside."

As they were about to exit the barn, Alex tugged Piper's arm until she stopped. "Thank you. This has been…" she trailed off. "I've never had 48 hours like this."

"That makes two of us." She kissed Alex once more before returning to the Sugar House and getting their butts in gear.


	6. Chapter 6

Alex could barely keep her eyes open as she helped Piper make French toast for the Reeds that morning. Piper looked equally exhausted, but she had a perpetual smile on her face. Alex couldn't help but smile, too after the day they'd had.

The brunette agreed to walk through the books with Celeste before taking a nap, and then she needed to help Piper buy supplies for the annual cookie decorating contest that would be held at the inn that evening. She'd have to find a way to carve out a couple of hours to respond to work e-mails and call her boss, but she didn't know when that might be.

After a long, hot shower, Alex was tempted to crawl into bed and sleep the rest of the day, but a light tap on her door changed those plans.

"Hi," Piper whispered. "Can I come in?"

She opened the door with a grin. "You may."

"Were you working?" The blonde strung her arms over Alex's shoulders and reached up for a kiss.

"I was contemplating a nap, actually." She rubbed Piper's lower back. "I could get used to this."

Piper pouted. "I could, too, but you're leaving tomorrow."

"Yeah." She pulled away, remembering why she was there in the first place. "I do need to make a couple of calls and return some e-mails before helping you with tonight's preparations."

"I'll leave you to it, then." She walked towards the door. "I'm going to head out just before lunch. Maybe we could eat at the café. They make the best butternut squash soup in the world."

She ran the back of her hand down Piper's cheek. "I'd love that."

"Meet downstairs in an hour?"

Alex nodded, kissing Piper one last time.

As soon as the blonde exited, Alex spun around, running her fingers through her hair and sighing, _fuuuccck_. It was _impossible_ to fall for Piper so quickly, yet there she stood, a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach about having to leave the very next day. It wasn't just that Piper was beautiful, that much was obvious to anyone who saw her; it was her random knowledge, her way with words, the way her face lit up when she had an idea. She was downright adorable in every single way, but Alex knew she could be a force to be reckoned with if anyone stood in her way. The brunette wasn't just worried about leaving Essex, she was also concerned about how the deal to buy the inn would go when Piper started making waves about running it herself. They hadn't returned to that conversation, and Alex figured it would surface in the near future as time ticked on.

Alex spent the next hour, concentrating on work and putting together the proposal for Mrs. Chapman. She called her boss, indicating that the inn was a far better acquisition than she'd originally thought, and asked him to consider adjusting the offer accordingly. Alex admired her boss—he was a fair man—and he agreed that by the end of the day, if her visit to a few businesses in town proved to be equally impressive, she could amend the offer and add up to $200,000.

She pulled on a pair of winter white corduroys and a dark denim shirt, wrapping a scarf around her neck as she made her way downstairs.

"Hey, ready?" She looked around the room to make sure no one was there before squeezing Piper's hand.

"Yep." The blonde released her hand and zipped her coat. "We'll head to the Town & Country Market first to get the drinks and snacks, and then we can grab lunch."

"Sounds like a plan."

Piper walked to the driver's side of an old Jeep Cherokee. "Where are you going?"

The brunette had started heading down the sidewalk already. "We're _driving_ the four blocks to the store?"

"We're going to have bags with heavy things, so yes."

She watched Piper scrape the icy window. "Need some help?"

"We only have one of these, so I got it. Jump in and turn on the engine."

Alex hopped into the passenger seat and turned the defroster on high. She rubbed her gloved hands together as if that would make them warmer. Piper had on a pink beanie with a little poof on top, and the way the blonde's face contorted and her tongue inched out as she used all her might to scrape the ice was delectable. Alex smiled at how _fucking cute_ she was.

She had only de-iced the driver's side window before getting in the car and breathing streams of visible, frigid air. "Damn, it's cold in here."

A waft of Piper's perfume assaulted Alex's senses—she smelled like peppermint and cherries, and the brunette had to literally sit on her hands for fear of reaching out to kiss her.

She wagged her eyebrows. "I know how we could warm it up."

"We have to get a move on," the blonde replied. "Besides, I _need_ to take a nap before tonight's festivities."

They arrived two minutes later at the market, and Piper pulled out a list organized into grocery categories.

"I'll get the cold stuff if you get the pantry items." She ripped the list in half, giving Alex about ten things to find. "Let's meet in the front of the store in 15 minutes."

"I'll do my best," Alex replied.

She walked around the store fairly aimlessly just to get a sense of what it had to offer—after all, she was there to do research as much as she was to help Piper. She placed the sparkling apple cider, paper plates, foil and napkins into a cart and almost ran into the blonde with her cart at the end of an aisle. The women laughed and touched each other on the arm at the incident.

"Looks like the two of you have become fast friends," Larry said in front of a display of poinsettias.

Piper dropped her hand, which had been on Alex's lower arm, and her smile faded. "Hi, Larry. How's it going?"

"Fine, I guess." He stuck his chin towards the brunette. "Is this who you left me for last night?"

"I didn't leave you, Larry," the blonde began. "The tree lighting ceremony was over, and like I told you, it wasn't a date."

He clenched his jaw. "Really, cause it _felt_ like a date—until we bumped into her."

Every muscle in Alex's body tightened as she stood taller, feeling protective of a woman she hardly knew.

"I don't want to get into this with you again." Piper looked exhausted. "And if you're coming to the cookie decorating contest tonight, please don't bring it up."

"You can't deny that we'd make the perfect couple," he tried.

"You heard her." Alex took a step towards him. "This conversation is over."

He let out a dubious huff. "Are you her bodyguard or something?"

She was half-tempted to blurt out, _No, I'm her lover_ , but she kept that to herself.

"I'm her friend." She towered over him. "Piper already discussed this with you last night, Larry. She was far kinder and more respectful than I would've been under the circumstances, so _please_ , go on your merry little way."

Larry looked like he was about the respond; instead, he shook his head, glanced at Piper one last time, and walked away.

Alex turned to her companion. "You ok?"

She nodded. "He's always been a really nice guy, but lately he's been annoying as hell."

She put her hand on the back of Piper's neck, massaging it as best as she could through her scarf. "Don't let him ruin your time in Essex."

Piper looked up at her, a tiny, relieved smile dancing on her face. "I won't."

"I think I got everything on the list." Alex peeked into her cart. "You?"

She nodded. "Let's checkout, and then get some lunch. I'm absolutely famished."

"Wonder why?" Alex fought hard to keep her smirk from surfacing.

Piper bumped into the brunette sideways, only making her smile wider.

The café was a charming little place, decked out with all the Christmas trimmings. A girl who appeared to be no older than 10 was playing Christmas hymns on the piano, while the servers dressed as elves buzzed around the dining area. They took a seat near the window, which had red and green lights around the frame and a drawing of Frosty the Snowman on the glass.

"Hi, Piper, long time no see!" A waitress hugged the blonde.

"Good to see you, Joyce. This is Alex."

"Nice to meet you." The brunette shook her hand.

"You're the one trying to buy The Haystack Inn," Joyce replied.

Alex nudged her glasses. "I am."

"If you do, please be fair to Celeste. She's put her whole life into that place."

"I will." She smiled.

Piper and Joyce caught up for a moment while Alex pretended to read the menu. The only thing she disliked about her job was seeing the disappointment and worry in the resident's eyes when they knew one of their properties was going to become part of a corporate chain.

"Can I take your order?" Joyce startled her from her reverie.

"Piper mentioned the butternut squash soup. I'll have a bowl of that and a side salad, please."

"I'll have the same." The blonde handed Joyce her menu. "Oh, and two eggnogs, please."

"I'll have that out in a jiffy."

"Eggnog before lunch?" Alex grinned.

"Why not?" She shrugged. "It's the holidays." Piper took a sip of water and placed a napkin on her lap. "How'd your meeting with my grandma go this morning?"

She removed her scarf, setting it on the window ledge next to her coat. "It was fine. She calmed down after the whole pie incident."

"If she knew exactly _why_ I burnt the pie, she'd be a little more up in arms." Piper blushed.

Alex grinned. "Does she know you like girls?"

"I don't think so. She's pretty liberal though, so I don't think she'd mind."

"Here's your eggnog and some freshly baked rolls." Joyce set everything down on the table.

"Thank you." Alex took a sip.

Piper buttered a wheat roll. "Was she upset about the whole free-night-at-the-inn thing with the Reeds?"

"She wasn't upset about it necessarily, but she confessed that she'd comped more rooms over the last year than she had in the 30-plus years of running the place."

"Really, why?"

"She's not a spring chicken any more—running the inn single-handedly is proving to be too difficult, especially with her health." Alex took another sip of eggnog. "She missed some pretty big things over the past year that affected some guests negatively, and her solution was to comp their rooms. I figure she's lost about $5,000, not to mention the unlikelihood that those guests will return for a future stay."

Piper put her bread down and shook her head. "I can't let her continue to do that."

"After this morning, I don't think she will," Alex replied. "And once she sells, she won't have to worry about the inn every minute of the day."

Joyce delivered their soup and salad. "Enjoy, ladies."

They dug into their lunch, mostly remaining silent except to comment on the flavorful soup.

"The more I think about it, the more I think I should take it over," she finally said.

Alex wiped her mouth. "You're in no position to do that, Piper."

"You don't know that—"

"Actually, I do," the brunette interrupted. "Do you have any idea how many hotels and restaurants fold, because someone with a wild hair up her ass decides she can run the business, when she has _zero_ experience?" She set her spoon down and leaned forward. "In a perfect world, your grandmother wouldn't be sick, wouldn't die, and wouldn't have to sell the inn, but we don't live in a perfect world!"

Piper straightened her back, and Alex could see tears forming in her eyes.

"Look, I'm not saying that you're not smart enough to run the Haystack, you are _incredibly_ intelligent," Alex began, reaching across the table to take her hand, damn whoever saw them. "I'm saying that it requires a lot more time and training than you can put into it."

"Who's to say I wouldn't put in that kind of effort?"

"Are you willing to quit your job and move to Essex to ensure the success of the inn?" Alex raised her eyebrows. "That's the kind of attention this place needs, Piper. If you want to be the general manager, my company will hire you just like that." She snapped her fingers. "But you'd have to commit to being on-site. If you try to take the inn over without the Huxley Collection's involvement, mark my words, you'll be out of business by the end of the first quarter."

She released Alex's hand and a tear fell onto her lap.

Alex pulled back. Those words weren't easy for her to say, but she'd been in the business long enough to know that nine out of ten times, when something like this came up, she was right about the property folding.

Piper lowered her head and swatted a tear on her cheek. "I want to leave."

"Please don't be upset." She leaned forward again, keeping her voice barely above a whisper.

"I realize we've known each other for a grand total of two days, but to hear that you don't believe I can do this hurts." Piper looked up at her with dejected eyes. "It's all business to you."

She shook her head. "You have to know that's not true."

She dabbed her eyes with a napkin and shrugged as if resigned to the fact that Alex didn't have faith in her.

"Is this how you operate—going from town to town, charming unsuspecting women to get what you want?"

It felt like Piper cut her with a knife. Alex went from feeling awful for the blonde to becoming angry with her in seconds. "Is that what you think?"

Piper met her eyes but didn't respond.

"I have never met _anyone_ like you, Piper, and I certainly haven't fallen this hard for anyone so quickly in _my entire life_." She licked her lips and proceeded in a brash whisper. "If you have to tell yourself that I _fuck_ my way into a good business deal, go for it. I can assure you, nothing could be further from the truth." She threw her scarf around her neck and stood, scraping the floor as she harshly shoved her chair under the table.

Alex was furious about the way things had gone, and it was as if she was on auto-pilot when she left the table. She continued to the cash register, paid the tab, (and had the wherewithal to buy a pumpkin pie for the Reeds) and walked out of the restaurant without looking back. As she proceeded down the sidewalk at a fast clip, she realized that she'd never left anyone like that before. She bit down hard on her back teeth, upset with herself for walking away, but absolutely infuriated by Piper's comment.

Alex was so upset that she became discombobulated. She turned down Front Street, saw the Deerfield Tavern, and felt a pang in her chest. She was reminded of how happy she'd been that night at the bar, watching Piper's whole body come alive as she talked about her job and the cookie contest. The brunette was clearly headed in the wrong direction, so she turned back towards Main Street with the pie in hand.

What she'd told Piper was the truth—she'd never met anyone like her, and it was _stupid_ how fast she'd fallen for the blonde. If they lived in the same city and there wasn't a conflict of interest about the Haystack, there would be no question that she'd try to pursue something with Piper.

"Alex!" She heard a voice call from behind. "Alex, wait."

The brunette turned around to see Piper jogging down the sidewalk, pink beanie poof bopping with every stride. Again, Alex clenched her jaw—the last thing she wanted was an emotional scene across from the Square.

"I'm sorry," Piper breathed. "I shouldn't have said those things, and I'm sorry."

Alex looked away and adjusted her black frames. "What you said was offensive, and if you believe that I—"

She couldn't finish her sentence before the blonde's lips crashed against her own. Alex dropped the pie, in favor of wrapping her arms around Piper; it was impossible to be _too_ close to her.

" _Fuck_ ," she mumbled against the blonde's lips. "There goes pie number three."

Piper pulled back, hands on Alex's cheeks. "I don't really think that you fuck your way into business deals."

"You knew the right thing to say to really piss me off, kid." She removed a strand of blonde hair from Piper's mouth.

"That was incredibly mean." She downcast her eyes. "I'm sorry."

Alex lifted her chin with two gloved fingers. "You're lucky you're so fucking adorable."

"Am I?" She tilted her head.

"Yes, you are." The brunette kissed her softly on the lips. "We probably shouldn't be out here doing what we're doing."

Piper draped her arms around Alex's neck. "Fuck everybody. I don't care if they see us."

"Oh, really?" Their noses bumped. "Isn't that your grandma's friend, walking this way?"

"Except for Betty. She probably shouldn't see how affectionate we are." The blonde quickly released Alex and scratched her head. "Hi, Betty."

The elderly woman looked confused. "Hello, Piper; Alex."

"Hi," Alex waved, lips tugging slightly upwards.

"Will we see you tonight at the inn?" Piper asked.

"Of course, I'll be there. Haven't missed it in 28 years."

"Great, we'll see you around six," Piper called.

The older woman disappeared into the café.

Piper furrowed her brow. "Do you think she saw us kissing?"

"I don't know, but you have the guiltiest looking face I've ever seen." Alex laughed. "Should we go back to our public display of affection?" She pretended to embrace the blonde again, but Piper shooed her away.

She slapped Alex's roaming hands. "Let's get this stuff back to the inn."

The brunette ran into the café again to buy yet another pumpkin pie—she'd guard this one with her life.


	7. Chapter 7

**Rated M for Mature**

* * *

The women moved some furniture around the lobby and brought in two folding tables from the basement. Celeste told them where everything should go, and after an hour of preparation, Piper threw in the towel.

"I have _got_ to take a nap."

"If you weren't up all night, burning pies, you'd feel fine today," her grandmother announced.

Piper caught a grinning Alex's eye and had to fight a smile of her own. "Well, I _was_ up all night burning pies, and I'm tired. I'll see you in a couple of hours." She kissed the top of her grandma's head.

"I'm going to turn in, too." The brunette stretched and yawned, revealing a sliver of milky white skin on her stomach.

The blonde gulped, remembering kissing that exact spot before sunrise that morning.

"Since you're both taking a nap, I suppose I will, too." She walked to her bedroom before Alex and Piper left the lobby.

The brunette sauntered over to Piper, fingering the hem of her sweater. "Wanna nap together?"

She put her hands on Alex's chest. "I don't know if we'd actually sleep if we're in the same bed."

"We could sleep _after_ ," the brunette suggested, leaning in to kiss her neck. "You know you want to."

Piper pulled Alex into her room, which was two doors down from her grandmother's. "We have to be quiet." Her mouth was all over Alex's face and neck, and her hands were busy untucking her denim blouse. "This shirt is so sexy on you."

Alex helped her unbutton it. "You're all contrasts," she said between kisses. "The pink hat makes you look cute, but the tight jeans make you irresistibly hot." Once she was done unbuttoning her own shirt, Alex pulled the blonde's sweater over her head.

There was no way they could touch and kiss all the skin they wanted to in that moment. They fought to suck each other's breasts, but Alex won the battle, flipping Piper onto her back on the Oriental rug.

"Would you be upset if we made each other cum at the same time so that we can go to sleep sooner?" Alex asked.

Piper giggled against her collarbone. "I was thinking the same thing."

She turned around, Alex's back on the ground and Piper's pussy on her face. "Good?"

"God, yes."

They remained in the 69 position for less than ten minutes, before both women writhed with pleasure. Thankfully, their primal sounds were muffled by the other woman's center, and Piper was convinced that her grandma didn't hear a thing. Alex climbed off of her and spun around until they were face to face. They kissed deeply, almost leading to another round of sex, but Piper stopped.

"Sleep. We need sleep." She stood and helped the dark haired woman to her feet.

They got into bed, pulled the sheets over their naked, spooning bodies and fell fast asleep.

Piper had no clue how much time had passed when she heard a knock on the door.

"Piper, honey, it's five o'clock," her grandmother called. "Are you awake?"

The blonde shot up. "What?"

She heard the doorknob jiggle and pulled the covers high over her chest.

"Why's the door locked?" Celeste asked. "Piper, what are you up to?"

"Napping, grandma." She jumped out of bed in search of her clothes that were strewn about the room.

Alex rubbed her eyes and propped herself up on her elbows, giving the blonde a delectable view of her breasts.

"Have you seen Alex? There was an envelope delivered for her. I assume these are the papers from the Huxley Collection."

"Um, no, I haven't seen her." Piper shoved her legs into her jeans, nearly tripping in the process. She grabbed the edge of the bed for balance, but Alex tugged her arm, sending her flying onto the mattress, halfway on top of the brunette.

They stifled their laughter, and then the blonde crossed her lips with her finger. "Shhh."

"Huh, wonder where she could be? I have the hot apple cider on the stove already, and I'm about to make the finger sandwiches. I could really use your help."

"I'll be out in a minute." She kissed Alex on the cheek, hopped out of bed, and pulled a sweater over her head.

"Alright, dear."

"That was a close call," Piper said, brushing her hair with her fingertips in the mirror.

"The door was locked," the brunette noted, getting out of bed and approaching Piper from behind. "It's not like she could've busted in."

"I never lock my door; she knows something's up." She shoved Alex's wandering hands down. "And you forget: she has a key to every room at the inn."

Alex swept blonde hair aside and kissed the back of her neck. "Tell her you were wrapping presents or something."

Piper turned around. "Do I look put together enough?"

"Yeah."

"I'm going to meet her in the kitchen. Give me five minutes, and then you can make your way out." She put on a pair of slippers.

"Do I have to be dressed?" Alex smirked.

"Unless you want to risk the Reeds seeing your naked ass, I would recommend it." Piper kissed her on the bare shoulder.

"Mr. Reed seems like an ass man," she commented as Piper fled the room.

She walked down to the kitchen that was filled with the smell of apple cider. "Hi, grandma. At least it doesn't smell like burnt pumpkin pie anymore."

Celeste rolled her eyes and pulled out a package of deli meat. "I'm going to make an assembly line like we did when you were little."

"Since there's only two of us, I don't think we'll be as efficient as Henry Ford envisioned."

"What's this about Henry Ford?" Alex breezed through the entryway and almost took Piper's breath away. She hadn't changed clothes, put on makeup or done her hair; she was simply _gorgeous_ , and after the two days they'd spent together, the blonde was falling deeper and deeper in _something_ with her.

Piper tried to keep her cool, allowing only a small smile to cross her lips upon seeing her lover.

"Hello, Alex. We were about to start an assembly line to knock out about 100 finger sandwiches," Celeste replied.

"Did you know that Ford didn't actually invent the assembly line," Piper reported, pulling out a stack of white bread. "He only sponsored the development of it to make cars."

"Well, that ruins my image of him," the brunette replied sarcastically.

"Before I forget, a package came for you." Celeste grabbed the large envelope, handing it to her guest.

"Thanks." Alex flipped it over in her hands. "I'll bring this upstairs, and then I want to help."

The brunette disappeared, and Piper set out a butter knife and the jar of mayonnaise.

"Have your thoughts about Alex changed?"

"It's hard to say." She kept her head down. "If she wasn't here to buy the inn, I think we'd be friends."

Her grandma wet some paper towels to set the finished sandwiches on. "Do you trust her?"

Piper stopped what she was doing and blinked a few times. "Yeah, I do."

"Alright." Alex clapped. "Put me to work."

Celeste showed them how to make the perfect sandwich while instrumental Christmas music played in the background. The women made fast work on the finger sandwiches and Celeste told them tales of the inn from years ago that Piper hadn't even heard.

"Have there been any weddings here?" Alex asked, cutting a sandwich into fourths.

"Oh, at least five a year—mostly in the spring and summer." Celeste laid the sandwiches on a platter. "I haven't felt well enough to host one in about a year and a half though."

Piper folded turkey onto the bread. "What was your favorite one?"

"Hmm…" she thought for a moment. "When same sex marriage passed in Vermont, I did one for two women. I've seen my fair share of weddings, but there was so much love and happiness at that one…" She shook her head with reverence. "It was spectacular."

Alex stepped lightly on Piper's slippered foot and adjusted her glasses. They both grinned.

"I hope you'll be around to host my wedding, grandma."

She put her hand on Piper's arm. "That would be lovely, dear."

They finished the sandwiches with only minutes to spare. Celeste asked Alex to set out the drinks and to put the apple cider into a carafe, while Piper draped red and green tablecloths over the tables in the lobby, outfitting each one with extra bowls of icing and colored sugar.

"If you want to spike your apple cider, I have brandy under the sink." Celeste winked at them.

"Duly noted." The brunette grinned.

* * *

The guests arrived in droves just before 6 p.m., and several of them began setting up their cookie stations. Celeste had a coughing bout and had to excuse herself for a while, which meant Piper was on deck to host the event until her grandmother could return.

The lobby was so congested that Piper lost track of Alex by 6:30 when the contest began. She tapped a fork against her glass until she got everyone's attention. "Hi, everyone. Hello…" She cleared her throat. "Welcome to the 28th annual cookie decorating contest!"

The room cheered. "For those of you new to this competition, the way it works is that these six finalists have been chosen to participate in the contest after the preliminary round that was held two weeks ago. Now, unlike the way things used to play out, they've brought pre-made cookies that they'll decorate here. Each contestant has to decorate a dozen cookies, all with different themes, and he or she will enter their favorite one into the contest."

There was some whispering in the back, and Piper figured it was because of the change in rules this year.

"They'll have 45 minutes to complete their cookie decorations, and time starts now!" She made her way towards the kitchen and spotted Alex, hovering around the finger food table. "Hey."

Piper could tell that Alex had initially lifted her hand to touch her, and then quickly shoved it into her pocket.

"Where's your apple cider?" the brunette questioned.

She looked around. "I must have set it down somewhere."

"Have some of mine." Alex handed her the mug. "It's spiked."

The blonde took a sip and choked, nearly spitting the liquid out.

"Heavily," Alex added, nudging her glasses higher on her nose and scanning the crowd.

Piper returned the mug to the brunette, the back of her free hand, covering her mouth. "Jesus, Alex! If I drink two of these I'd be drunk off my ass."

Alex smirked. "This is my second."

Piper returned her attention to the 50 or so people in the lobby. "Are you enjoying yourself so far?"

"Surprisingly so." She grinned. "I have to say, this town really goes all out for Christmas like nothing I've ever seen."

"We do."

She took another sip of cider, and then handed it back to Piper. "Meet me by the barn in five minutes," Alex whispered conspiratorially.

Before she had a chance to reject the offer, Piper watched Alex walk away through the kitchen and presumably out the back door. She glanced at her watch, noticing that she had another 35 minutes before the contest was finished, so she could spare a few minutes to meet Alex outside. Under no circumstances would she be gone longer than 30 minutes—she wouldn't risk missing the judging of the cookies.

"Piper, so good to see you!" Larry's mom startled her as she tried to make her way outside.

She awkwardly hugged the older woman. "You, too, Amy. How are you and Howard doing?"

"Oh, we're just fine. I wish Howard would consider an early retirement, but you know him," she laughed. "Have you seen my son tonight?"

The blonde was glad she hadn't. "No, sorry."

"Well, I know he was excited to see _you_ ," she said with a wink.

"If you'll excuse me, I have to run outside for a second." She hooked her thumb over her shoulder and walked away, not bothering to put on her coat.

Piper ran towards the barn, shivering the whole way.

Alex stepped up from the side of the barn and yanked her by the arm. "Where's your coat?"

"I had to flee the scene too quickly to worry about warmth."

She rubbed Piper's arms vigorously with her gloved hands. "You make it sound like you're a perp."

Piper giggled. "No, just eager to see you."

The brunette positioned their bodies against the side of the barn and kissed her. Alex tasted sweet like apple pie.

"Mmm, not sure if I prefer whiskey on your breath or the spiked apple cider," Piper said between kisses. "I guess brandy and whiskey have similar properties…"

Alex stuck her tongue in Piper's mouth if for no other reason than to get her to stop talking. She opened her thick coat, inviting Piper inside, and their bodies pressed together as they leisurely kissed.

Piper heard the barn door open, and before she could retreat, Larry walked outside.

"Well, well, well…what do we have here?" he said with a despicable grin. "And don't tell me it's not what it looks like…"

"It's exactly what it looks like." Piper pulled away, but held one of Alex's hands as she turned and faced him. "If it wasn't clear before why I'm not into you, hopefully this will do the trick."

"You're _gay_?" he asked.

"I fall somewhere on a spectrum," she replied, containing an eye roll, as if she needed to explain her sexuality to Larry Fucking Bloom.

He put his hands on his hips. "You're hooking up with the woman who could destroy the property that's been in your family for three generations."

Alex took a step forward, releasing Piper's hand. "Were you lurking in the shadows, just waiting for your opportunity to get your hands on Piper?"

"Mr. Ellis asked if I'd cover the horses so he could enjoy the cookie contest inside," Larry replied with a snarky tone. "And fuck you!"

"Fuck you," the brunette spat back.

"Alex!" Piper tugged her forearm, but Alex didn't retreat.

"I'm not going to destroy the Haystack, jackass. I'm going to make it profitable again," she began. "You're so small-minded that you can't see that. So _fuck you_ , Larry."

He directed his attention to the blonde. "Do you believe a word coming out of her mouth?"

"Yeah, I do. Leave me alone; I'm done explaining myself to you."

"Wait until the whole town knows that you're a fucking _dyke whore_ ," he fired back.

With one, swift motion, Alex punched Larry in the face. He turned his head and held his cheek with his right hand, too stunned to speak.

"Alex!" she shouted again, trying to pull the brunette away.

"You want to take a shot? Go for it." She bent her fingers towards her body, signaling for him to bring it on. "I've never had the opportunity to hit a real target."

"Alex! _Enough_!" The blonde grabbed her by the shoulders and walked towards the house. "Larry, _go home_. You are _not_ going to ruin everyone's evening!"

Piper was completely out of breath as she escorted Alex back inside the small room just off of the kitchen, closing and locking both doors. "What in the hell happened back there?"

Alex was equally out of breath, adrenaline clearly rushing through her bloodstream. "Did you hear what he called you?"

"Yes. He's upset," she tried.

"Even if I hardly knew you, I wouldn't let _anyone_ talk to you like that."

"You _do_ barely know me," Piper replied, rubbing Alex's cheek. "I appreciate the protection; I really do, but please don't get into it with him. He's not worth it."

Alex calmed down and rested her forehead against Piper's. "It doesn't feel like we hardly know each other."

"I know," she whispered, kissing Alex affectionately on the lips.

Piper was incredibly thankful that Larry didn't show up that evening and that the rest of the night went exactly as planned. A 16-year-old boy won the cookie decorating contest, and the elderly adults in the room were up in arms, demanding that next year, there were age categories.

Celeste spent most of the evening in her room, having trouble with her lungs, and the town doctor, who happened to be at the cookie contest, went to check on her. He recommended that she not work so hard over the next couple of days—rest was paramount to her staying out of the hospital. He shared those words with Piper, too, and Alex happened to be nearby to overhear the doctor's comments.

That night, Alex snuck into Piper's room. They were both too tired to fool around, so they held each other in bed until the following morning, when the time would come for Alex to say goodbye.

* * *

Author's Note: There will be one more chapter after this. Thanks for the reviews so far! And just so you know, I've never responded to anyone by posting a review of my own on one of my stories, and I don't plan to ever post a review of my own work. If you have a question that you'd like me to answer, please e-mail me or post it to my Tumblr account – Saintsavory.


	8. Chapter 8

Alex didn't know if she was awake or dreaming when she felt Piper's finger, jabbing her bicep before the sun came up that morning.

"Alex! _Alex_!"

"What the fuck?" The brunette propped herself on an elbow. "Are you ok?"

"I made a decision," Piper announced. "It came to me just now as clear as day: I want to run the inn."

Alex flopped onto her back, forearm covering her eyes. "You're letting your emotions get the best of you, Piper."

"No." She could see the blonde shaking her head in the glow of the moon. "I can do this—I _want_ to do this." She exhaled. "I realized that the inn, the town, the people—they're the best of what's inside of me." Piper sat up. "Don't you see? I've been fighting my destiny this whole time. I'm _meant_ to be here."

Alex rolled over, taking one of the blonde's hands. "I'm not going to get in the way of your destiny, babe, but what you're saying is between you and your grandmother." Alex squeezed her hand.

"Maybe I should wake her?" Piper replied.

The brunette pulled her down. "Maybe you should wait til morning."

"Maybe." Piper laid back down, letting out a long breath.

Just when the brunette thought Piper had settled down, she began anew. "If my grandma really doesn't want me to manage the Haystack, that's fine, but I don't think I've looked her in the eye and told her how much I want this. She thinks I'm just doing it out of pure emotion, and I was a couple of days ago, but I'm not today."

Alex pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. There didn't seem to be anything she could do to shut up the babbling blonde.

"It's always taken me a while to come to terms with major transitions, and this is one of those times," Piper continued.

Alex ran her knuckles across Piper's jaw. "I _really_ need you to go back to sleep, babe, or I'm kicking you out of my room."

The blonde snuggled against Alex's naked body. "Sorry, I tend to process out loud."

"I noticed," she let out a light chuckle.

Piper kissed her chin. "Good night again."

"Night."

They finally both drifted back to sleep.

* * *

The next morning, Alex woke up just before 7 a.m. and Piper was not in bed with her. She took a shower and wondered where the blonde had skirted off to when she remembered their middle-of-the-night conversation: Piper wanted to run the inn.

The brunette scrubbed her body clean, thinking about the way things could very well end between them, and she was gravely concerned that neither of them would be completely satisfied. A car was picking her up at 9:30 that morning, and just prior to leaving, she needed to meet with Celeste to finalize the deal. She felt a deep ache in her chest at having to leave the inn—at having to leave Piper.

"Have you seen Piper?" the brunette asked as she ambled into the kitchen. The day before, she'd chosen to play coy when asking about Piper's whereabouts. That morning, she didn't have time to waste.

Celeste plopped a stack of folders on the counter. "She went for a run."

Alex poured a cup of coffee. "She knows I'm leaving this morning, right?"

"I believe so." Celeste sipped her tea. "I asked her to give us some time to chat."

"Oh." The brunette looked surprised. "Did she tell you about her last minute decision to run the inn?"

The older woman folded her hands on top of the folders. "She did."

"And?" Alex pulled out a stool as if she was going to sit down, but remained standing, anxious about where the conversation was headed.

"I listened," she said with a shrug.

Alex set her coffee mug down before even taking the first sip and ran a hand through her hair. "I'm supposed to be a professional, you know? Come here, make the deal, and go home. But Piper…" She shook her head. "She doesn't want the inn to go corporate. As hard as I tried to explain that we're not a typical corporation, she doesn't buy it. I'm afraid she's not going to let go of the idea that she can manage this place even though it's not in _your_ best interest."

"Piper is a smart young woman—she graduated magna cum laude from Smith," Celeste began. "But she has always been guilty of thinking with her heart. It's one of her most endearing qualities, but in the real world, it's her Achilles heel."

"So what do I do?" the brunette lifted her shoulders. "Do I do what I was asked to come here for and have you sign the papers, or do I walk away and tell my boss that the deal didn't work out?"

"I want to sell the inn." Celeste looked her in the eye. "I haven't faltered with my wishes, but you seem overly concerned with what my granddaughter wants."

"You're right." She scratched her head and looked away, recalling the entire reason she'd come to Essex. "This is the best solution—numbers don't lie, and they're not going to get any better in the short term with your health being what it is."

"I know." Celeste clicked a pen. "I want to sign the papers."

Alex reluctantly handed her the two printouts.

The elderly woman scanned the document. "You're offering $200,000 more than what we originally discussed."

"This place is worth it." Alex could feel the nostalgia reflecting on her face. "The rooms need some updating, but everything about The Haystack and the town of Essex is worth even more than what I can give."

"That's very kind of you." She smiled. "It _is_ a wonderful little inn."

Alex had to turn her back as Celeste signed the papers. She glanced out the kitchen window at the barn behind the inn and wanted to smile at the memories, but her lips wouldn't tug upwards. In fact, she felt tears prickling her eyes, damning her emotions for coming into play as she made the business transaction.

"Here you go."

The brunette turned back around, took one set of papers and exhaled.

Celeste put a hand on her arm. "This is the right thing to do. If Piper had shown more interest in the inn after college, it would be hers, but I don't want to burden her with something she doesn't _really_ want."

Alex clenched her jaw. "Thank you. Someone from the Huxley Collection will be in touch with you next week."

"It won't be you?" The older woman asked, coughing.

"No." Alex slid Celeste's tea closer. "My part of the job is over—everything I do is on the front end, and other members of my team step in to work out the details of the sale."

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that," Celeste said with a genuine smile. "I enjoyed spending time with you, and I know my granddaughter feels the same." She had no idea just how true her statement was.

Alex bit the inside of her cheek. "Piper won't be happy about this."

"I'll deal with the fallout."

"I should explain it to her…" Before the brunette continued, she shut her mouth for fear of revealing too much.

"Piper won't be back before you leave," Celeste said somewhat apologetically. "I asked her to help Betty at the bakery this morning, and she won't return until after ten. She seemed eager to bake again, all thanks to you."

Alex shook her head and crinkled her forehead. "Why would you do that?"

Celeste raised her eyebrows as if she knew more than she let on. "Because I don't want the two of you to argue."

Once again, the brunette looked away, one hand on her hip. "So this is how it ends? You sign the papers, and I return to New York, never to be heard from again?"

"Perhaps." Celeste stood with a gleam in her eye. "But I sincerely hope not. It was truly a pleasure meeting you, Alex. I wish you all the best."

She threw her arms around the frail woman. "You, too."

Alex went back to her room and packed her things. Part of her thought about texting Piper so that they could meet and say a proper goodbye, but as soon as the blonde would learn what had transpired, she'd be absolutely livid. It would break Alex's heart to see a hurting, despondent Piper, so she chose to exit quietly. Before she left, she wrote a letter, leaving it in her own room, tucked under the pillow.

At 9:34 a.m. Alex got into the town car that would whisk her off to the regional airport. She took one last look at the quaint little town and noticed Chloe, the girl who'd built the snowman, putting a carrot stick as the snowman's nose. She smiled at the sight, saddened about not seeing Piper's smile one last time.

"Good morning, Ms. Vause. Any place you'd like to stop before we head to the airport?" the driver asked.

"No, and no matter what I say after this, take me to the airport, even if I beg you to turn around." She swiped a tear that had fallen under her black frames.

"You got it." The driver pulled away, and Alex looked back, unable to contain the deluge of tears.

* * *

Piper rolled in just after 10 a.m. with a big smile and saw her grandmother, knitting in the lobby. "Hi grandma, where's Alex?"

"She's gone."

Piper's eyebrows formed a V. "What do you mean, _gone_?"

Celeste turned around. "A town car picked her up at 9:30. I thought you knew that."

"I knew she was leaving today, but…" The blonde stepped into the lobby and felt panicked. "She wouldn't have left without saying goodbye."

"She had to, Piper." Her grandmother stood, bracing herself against the arm of the sofa. "I signed the papers."

"You _what_?"

Celeste looked at her feet. "I've sold the inn."

"You couldn't have…" Her heart started beating wildly and she felt blood drain from her face. "Just a few hours ago, I told you I wanted to run the Haystack."

"You acted out of pure emotion, dear, and I love you for that." She walked over to her granddaughter. "I couldn't let you trade in your life—a life that you love—for a memory."

"This isn't about memories," Piper complained, shaking her head vigorously. "This is about family and commitment and feeling a sort of clarity I've never felt in my life!"

She took the blonde's hand in both of hers. "Alex helped you see that."

Piper looked away, not wanting to acknowledge what her grandmother had observed.

"But she's not going to be here, day in and day out, to make you love this job," Celeste said. "That has to come from within."

A tear slipped down her face. "How could Alex have done this?" Piper tried to contain her emotions, but it was no use. "She knew I wanted this place, yet she still made you sign the papers."

Celeste squeezed her hand. "She didn't _make_ me do anything, Piper."

Her chin quivered. "This is _not at all_ how I thought this day would go."

"I know it's hard to stomach right now, but selling the inn is what's best," Celeste tried.

"I need to process this on my own." Piper turned on her heel and jogged to her room, slamming the door behind her.

Her heart was in her throat at the thought of Alex leaving without saying goodbye, and she was plagued with anger about her grandmother signing the papers. She picked up her mobile phone to see if Alex had called or texted, but there were no messages. Piper ran upstairs to Alex's room, thinking for a moment this was all a bad dream.

"Alex?" she called in a weak voice. "Alex!"

No one came out of the bathroom, and all of the brunette's things were gone. She sat on the bed, head in her hands, and wept. How could she have been so blind? Alex came to the inn on business, and she left with more than just a sale to check off her ledger.

The blonde collapsed onto the bed and felt something crunch against her head. She picked up an envelope and opened it, unfolding the piece of paper inside.

 _Dear Piper,_

 _First, allow me to apologize for not saying goodbye. I had an entirely different image in my mind of how that would go, and it involved you naked in bed. By the time you read this, that line won't be funny, because you'll know that your grandmother signed the papers to sell the inn. Please know that I want what's best for both of you. I don't doubt for one minute that you could manage the inn, Piper, but that wasn't my call to make. I hope that you and your grandma can come to an understanding about the property—it would be a shame to see the two of you divided on such an important issue._

 _The last three days were nothing short of magical, and I can't thank you enough for changing my perspective on a holiday I had long since given up on. You helped me find the Christmas spirit again, and I am forever grateful._

 _I would love to reconnect after the sale goes through, but until then, it's probably best for us to keep our distance. Know that I'll think of you often and that you touched my life more than you know._

 _Merry Christmas,_

 _Alex_

Piper hadn't realized that she'd been crying while reading the letter, but by the end, the bottom half of the page was damp with tears. She laid in Alex's bed, smelling her pillow, and letting it all out. She lost what could have been a new love as well as what could have been her future career. Piper's emotions were too tender to reflect on any of it at that moment, so she allowed herself to fall asleep in Alex's bed without caring when she'd wake up.

* * *

The blonde had no idea how long she'd slept until her grandmother tapped on the door. "Piper, are you in there?"

"Yeah." She sat up, brushing the hair that had stuck to her face with dried tears, and realized she was still fully clothed in Alex's bed.

Celeste entered the room. "I brought you some tea."

"Thank you." She took the cup and scooted over, afraid she'd have to explain what she was doing in Alex's room.

The older woman put a hand on her leg. "You've been asleep all afternoon."

Piper glanced at the clock. "I don't have to be anywhere today, do I?"

"No." She shook her head. "Would you like to come down for dinner? I heated up some homemade chicken noodle soup."

She placed her hand on top of her grandmother's. "I'll be down in a minute."

Celeste left the room, and Piper let out a defeated breath. Christmas day would be upon them in two days, and she wasn't thankful for anything. All she could do was get out of bed and count the days until she could return to Hartford to continue her promising career—a career she'd been willing to give up to save the family business.

She washed her face in Alex's bathroom, and then went downstairs to an empty lobby, Dolly Parton's Christmas album playing on the record player. Piper walked over to the Christmas tree and her eyes filled with tears as she saw the two ornaments Alex had bought from the school children the day before. She picked one of them up and swatted away a tear. _She was supposed to have taken them home_. It took all of her willpower not to text the brunette about the forgotten ornaments, but she knew that would be under the guise of chastising Alex for leaving without saying goodbye.

After a cup of chicken noodle soup, Piper decided to go back to sleep, asking her grandmother not to bother her until the next morning when she came down for breakfast.

* * *

December 24 in Essex was the culminating Christmas event—most activities happened in the morning and early afternoon so that the children could go to sleep early with the hopes that St. Nicholas would pass that night. The only tradition that took place in the evening was Lessons & Carols in the old church, and it had been Piper's favorite. However, that day, she wanted nothing to do with Christmas and felt joyless.

She avoided her grandmother as much as possible as she tried to process what had taken place the day before. It was difficult for Piper to understand why her grandma didn't trust her to run the inn, but she had to admit that until 24 hours ago, she had made it perfectly clear that being the inn keeper wasn't in the cards for her.

Then there was the matter of Alex's betrayal—at least that's what it felt like. The brunette had charmed the pants off of her, and Piper was beginning to wonder if they could actually take a stab at a relationship. Even before she was convinced that she could run the inn, Piper had considered the distance between New York and Hartford as an easy commute for a couple who were invested in seeing where things could go.

Piper finally left the house just after lunchtime, needing to get some fresh air. It was snowing outside, and the local children were either throwing snowballs or building snowmen in the Square. Her lips turned upwards at the sight, recalling her own snowball fight with Alex. She buttoned her coat and walked around the Square once, listening to carolers under the gazebo and admiring the colorful lights all around town. Soon the lights would be gone, and Essex would return to its bucolic roots—still charming and beautiful, just not filled with the magic of Christmas.

She walked back to the inn and helped her grandma bake banana nut bread, both women deciding not to discuss the sale of the inn. Elvis' _White Christmas_ came on, and Piper frowned as she thought about the last time she'd heard the song in the tavern.

"I asked Betty to save us seats at Lessons & Carols tonight," Celeste announced, pulling two loaves of bread out of the oven.

Piper laid two trivets down. "I'm not going."

"What? It's your favorite Christmas Eve tradition," she replied, setting the bread on the trivets.

She stood back and folded her arms. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly filled with Christmas cheer."

Celeste put the oven mitts back in a drawer. "You can sulk all you want about me signing those papers, but it's not going to change a thing."

"That's only half of why I'm upset," she mumbled, looking at her feet.

The older woman shrugged. "Then call her."

Piper's eyes flicked up, head still bowed, curious to learn if her grandma knew about her feelings for Alex.

"I want you to know something, dear; I mean _really_ know it," Celeste began, taking a seat on a stool. "Alex was conflicted about having me sign the papers. In fact, I think she would've been relieved if I _hadn't_ signed them."

Piper swallowed the lump in her throat. "But you did."

"I did because it's the right choice for _me_. The last thing I want six months from now is you resenting me for giving you the reins." Celeste took her hand. "I couldn't live with myself, knowing that I'd set you up for failure."

"I understand why you did it, grandma, but I don't have to agree with it." Once again, the blonde lowered her head, terribly sad about everything. She paused for a moment as The Carpenters sang a Christmas tune on the CD player. "I trusted her," she whispered.

"I know you did." Celeste squeezed her granddaughter's hand. "And you had every reason to—you still do. Alex did what I asked her to do; I was her client."

"You were more than that," Piper quickly retorted. "She liked you; I could tell."

Celeste shrugged. "And I liked her—that doesn't change the fact that a business deal had to be made." She started coughing, and the blonde patted her back.

The coughing didn't subside, so Piper filled a glass of water. "Drink this."

Celeste downed the water and her coughing bout ended. "Thank you. I'm not getting any healthier, Piper. I'm glad Alex came when she did."

"Don't say that." Piper rubbed her back. "You have a doctor's appointment in two days. I'm sure he'll adjust your meds, and you'll feel much better."

She smiled at her granddaughter. "I'm going to take a nap before Lessons & Carols. I hope you change your mind about joining me."

Piper gave her the best smile she could muster, which didn't even reveal her teeth.

She ended up going to Lessons & Carols, if only to appease her grandmother, but she felt melancholy the entire time. Piper's anger had morphed into sadness, and she just wanted Christmas to be over.

* * *

The next morning, Piper awoke to the sound of Christmas music so loud that she thought her grandmother must have mistakenly turned the volume dial the wrong way and left the inn. She got out of bed, and remembered that the Reeds had checked out and there were no guests at the inn. Still in her blue, snowflake pajamas, the blonde padded to the lobby, turned the volume down, and saw four perfectly wrapped gifts under the tree. She smiled, remembering all the years when she believed in Santa Claus, and she'd wake up to loads of presents under the tree. Part of her longed to be a child again and forget about the misery that came with being an adult.

"Merry Christmas, dear." Celeste entered the lobby with a cup of tea.

Piper hugged her. "Merry Christmas."

"Would you like to open your gifts now?"

"I think I'd prefer a cup of coffee first. Why did you have the music so loud?" Piper walked into the kitchen and stopped in her tracks, eyebrows almost touching her hairline. " _Alex_?"

The brunette stood, her face cracking into a cautious smile. "Merry Christmas."

Piper's mouth hung open. "What are you doing here?"

Alex took a few steps towards her. "I didn't turn in the papers."

"What?" Piper remained rooted to the spot. "I don't understand, why would you do that?"

"Because you want to run this place." She shoved her hands into her pockets and lifted her shoulders. "And I trust that you can."

The blonde's eyes skimmed over to Celeste. "But, that's not what my grandma wants."

"With all due respect to your grandma, I don't care." Alex let out a slight chuckle, and tossed a chunk of black hair over one shoulder. "For the past two days, I couldn't eat, couldn't sleep, hell, I could barely go to work. I had the papers in my hand, ready to give to my boss, and I couldn't do it." She adjusted her glasses, and Piper noticed that the brunette's eyes were glassy. "Something happened when I was here for those three days—something _good_ —and it's all because of you."

Piper had a hard time concealing her emotions and tried not to blink to keep her tears at bay.

Alex pulled a hand out of her pocket and reached for the blonde's hand. "I know your grandmother wants what's best for the inn, and I firmly believe that's _you_ , so if you really want to run this place, I'm not going to be the one who denies you that opportunity."

She couldn't believe her ears. Piper flung herself into Alex's arms, holding on to her for all she was worth. As soon as the brunette's arms wrapped around her, Piper allowed herself to cry. Tears streamed down her face as she put one hand on the back of Alex's head, the other on her lower back.

The brunette pulled back, smiling, fingers locked behind Piper. She brushed a strand of blonde hair aside. "I hope those are tears of joy."

"They are." Piper leaned forward and kissed her hard on the mouth. "Thank you."

Celeste cleared her throat, and Piper had all but forgotten that she was in the room.

"Sorry," Alex tried letting go, but Piper refused to part from her.

"Did you know about this?" Piper asked her grandma.

"Which part—the fact that you two have been falling in love in front of my very eyes, or that Alex didn't turn in the paperwork?" Celeste chuckled.

The blonde felt a blush on her cheeks.

"Alex arrived 20 minutes before you woke up," Celeste explained. "And she told me about not handing in the paperwork. The other part, I've known since the day you met."

"Really?" Piper asked, finally releasing her firm grip on the brunette.

"It was quite beautiful to watch unfold," the elderly woman noted with a grin.

Alex entwined their fingers and walked over to the kitchen island. She took a seat, and Piper stepped between her legs, still facing her grandmother and leaning into Alex.

"What about the inn?" the blonde asked, uneasiness etched on her face.

"I'd like to help out with that," Alex replied.

The blonde looked at her. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not saying I want to move to Essex right away, but I want to help you get this place in shape. That is, if you'll let me."

" _Of course,_ I will." She kissed Alex again, this time more tenderly.

"I approve of this little plan, if you're ok with it, dear," Celeste announced.

She smiled from ear to ear. "Are you kidding? It would be impossible for me to be any happier!"

"Then it's settled." Celeste put a hand on each woman's shoulder and smiled. "I'll leave you two alone. What a _wonderful_ Christmas this turned out to be."

"Thank you, Celeste," Alex offered, pulling Piper onto her lap.

"My pleasure, Alex." She disappeared into the lobby.

Piper turned her attention to the brunette. "I still can't believe any of this."

"Believe it, babe." She ran her hands down Piper's arms. "We're in this together."

"Then my Christmas wish came true," she whispered before leaning over and kissing Alex, this time with a bit more passion. "Merry Christmas, Alex."

The brunette smiled up at her. "Merry Christmas."

 **The End**

* * *

Thank you for reading this story—I hope it put you in the Christmas spirit! A sequel might happen if I can write it before Christmas, but I'm not making promises. I hope you have a wonderful, merry Christmas.


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